Family Ties
by Reese M
Summary: Two years after the end of Their Place in the World, Sam/Alexis and Carly/Bobbie are close but still working on their relationships. Life in PC isn't always easy, and things only get harder when someone from the outside, someone from the past, starts posing a threat to Alexis and her family. Will any of them be the same after these events? Will secrets will it all revel?
1. Chapter 1

A lot can happen in two years; so many ups and downs, so many good things, bad things, and everything in-between things. Two years ago Alexis Davis had been reunited with her baby sister, who'd gone missing following their mother's murder. Two years ago the beautiful baby girl her father had stolen from her, who Mikkos had placed up for adoption against her wishes, had come back into her life as a full of life ten year old. Two years a go the missing pieces of her heart had been returned to her by her best friend; the man who finally heal her neglected heart. It was two years ago when Alex found herself staring into the beautiful blue eyes of Jasper Jacks as he asked her to marry him. Two years ago Alexis Davis had a moment of temporary insanity caused by sudden fear and said no. She had been on the brink of having the life she'd dreamed of and she panicked.

"_Alexis, will you marry me?" Jax asked as he held out the blue diamond engagement ring he'd had made just for her. "Again and for real?"_

"_Jasper, I…" Alexis said as her mind and heart were wheeling from the shock of it. Tears welled in her beautiful brown eyes. "I love you, I do, but… I…" She tried again. It was all too much. Her emotions were in chaos, which made it feel as if her mind were shutting down from the overload. "I'm sorry. No. I… I can't." _

She'd kissed him so softly, so tenderly after she'd turned him down. Then she ran from him. She ran from the hurt in his eyes. She ran from her own emotions, her own uncertainly, her own insecurity. She left him standing in her living room, escaping to her bedroom, where she sat against the door and cried. Jax had said he understood when she finally had the nerve to face him several days later. He said he was sorry for hurting her, even though she had been the one to hurt him. He'd said that he knew she was happy with how things were between them, but that he had to take the risk, he was all about the risk after all. He said he understood. A week later he was gone. Off on some adventure to rescue his brother, or so he said, because when he finally came back she found out he'd been in Europe with Brenda. Finding out about Jax and Brenda brought out her self-destructive side and Alexis ended up finding herself in Puerto Rico with Sonny Corinthos.

When she and Sonny returned to Port Charles, just as Alexis was about to be sucked back into his life, there was a shoot out at Luke's club. Sonny walked away from it without a scratch just like he always did, but the people around him weren't so lucky, just like it always was when it came to Sonny. Alexis and Jax, who'd been there to hear Kristina sing, had both been shot. Nearly loosing each other made Alexis and Jax both realize how much they loved and needed each other. Jax wanted back in her life in anyway possible, and Alexis promised that someday, if he were to ask her again, she'd say yes. They both promised not to rush it though. They were both willing to wait until they were both ready.

While Alexis and Jax were having issues in their relationship Jax never once faltered in his relationship with Sam. Just as he and Alexis had promised he was always there for the little girl. He spent time with her, he did everything from helping her with her homework, to giving her someone to vent to when her mom's neurotic side got too much to handle, to taking her on trips. He went to her school events and disciplined her when she did something like hot-wiring her mother's car to impress Lucky Spencer. He was in all the ways that mattered, Sam's father.

Which is why Alexis had no problem with asking Jax to lunch to talk about something important. Something she'd been thinking about since they'd gotten back together. After stopping at the PC Grill and picking up lunch she let herself into his apartment and set to work. She set the table, put the wine on ice and opened it to breath; she brewed a pot of coffee with the premeasured packages Kristina had taken to making so she wouldn't ruin the coffee. When she heard his key in the door her whole face lit up. She looked up from the work she'd brought with her as he walked in and smiled. His hair was a little shorter, a little darker, but it looked good on him. Then again, he could be totally bald, wearing a burlap sack, and still be drop dead handsome. She didn't even really mind the goatee he was wearing these days, at least for now.

"I could get use to that." Jax said with a teasing smile as he came over to the couch where she was sitting and kissed her hello.

"Use to what?" Alexis asked with a smile.

"Coming home to you." He replied.

Alexis rolled her eyes at him.

Jax laughed and then said, "I hope you haven't been waiting long. My business meeting ran a little longer then I'd expected."

Alexis smiled brightly at him. There was still part of heart that hurt over how they'd hurt each other over the last two years, how they nearly lost each other, but a larger part of her heart thrived and soared knowing he loved her, and she him, and that they truly would always be together. Even though their relationship had been strained, they had still remained friends; they had still turned to each other when they needed someone. "How did it go?" She asked. "Are you the proud new owner of the PC Hotel?"

Jax smiled. "Almost. There are a few more things to work out before it's official."

"Do you need me to look over the contracts?" Alexis asked as she stood up, pulling him to his feet, and leading him over to the table.

"Would you?" Jax asked as they sat down. "There are some leases from some of the tenants on the upper floors that need going over."

Alexis gave him her best happy lawyer smile as he poured the wine. "That's why you pay me the nice little retainer."

The two of them chatted for a little while. Alexis informed Jax that if he ever wanted to see her naked again he would deny Sam's request for a dirt bike. Jax whole-heartedly agreed. No dirty bike for Sam. He liked seeing Alexis naked. Knowing him as well as she did, Alex then warned him that a four-wheeler was also off limits. Jax again promised, but warned her that when they went to Australia he couldn't promise his mother wouldn't take Sam out on either. Jax told her that Lady Jane was making all kinds of plans for their up coming visit. Throughout the break up there were two people who never gave up hope that Alexis and Jax would make up, his mother and her daughter. There had been countless schemes on both sides to push the two back towards each other, Lady Jane even went as far as letting Brenda know what she thought in no uncertain terms, but neither Alexis nor Jax would be pushed. They had to come back together on their own.

Once lunch was over and they were cuddled on the couch with their coffees, Alexis finally worked up the nerve to ask him what she wanted to ask him. "Jax, I've been thinking about something and I'd like to get your option on it."

"Sure, what's on your mind?" Jax asked as he put his arm around her.

"It's about Sam." Alexis told him. She paused a moment to gather her thoughts and then went on. "Us not being together was really unsettling for her despite the fact that you were there for her when she needed you." She was looking into his beautiful blue eyes, his handsome face, oh how she'd missed him when they were apart. "I was thinking that maybe we could give her a little reassurance. Something to let her know that if anything like that happens again, that if we ever…" She couldn't finish that thought. She didn't want too. "That she will always be in your life, and you in hers."

Jax listened and nodded. "I'd do anything for her, Alexis, you know that."

Alexis bit her lip nervously and then asked, "Would you agree to adopt her?"

Bright blue eyes went wide with shock as a brilliant smile lit up Jax's face. "You want me to adopt Sam?"

"Yes." Alexis said as she reached up and caressed his face. "You've been a father to her since the day she came back into my life, Jax. I want to make it official."

There were tears in Jax's eyes. "I would be honored to be Sam's father."

Now there were tears in Alexis' eyes as she pulled Jax's face to her own and kissed him. Because she'd never had one in her own life, not one that could be trusted and counted on anyway, Alexis knew how important it was to give Sam a father. Jax had been without any doubts that figure in Sam's life since her return to her mother's life, this was just making it more official. There was also the reassurance that if something happened to Alexis, Sam would have someone who would love and raise her, protect her and respect her.

When the kiss came to an end Jax smiled brightly as he caressed Alexis' face. "You have no idea how happy I am right now."

"I know how much you love her." Alexis replied as she leaned into his touch.

"I love you too." Jax told her. "Always have and I always will."

Alexis smiled at him while tears rolled down her cheeks. "I know. I love you too Jasper Jax."

Later that evening Sam was sitting between her mom and Jax as they watched a movie. She'd wanted to go hang out with Niky and Lucky but she didn't protest too much because she liked spending time with her mom and Jax. Their break up really had been hard on her because she was afraid Jax wouldn't be around for her. She had been so angry with her mother when she'd found out what happened that she didn't speak to her for a month, and she acted out so badly that she'd actually ended up getting a spanking. Things got better when Jax came back to Port Charles, but she was still angry and scared.

"Sam." Alexis said when the movie was over. "Jax and I want to talk to you."

Fear gripped Sam's heart. "You're breaking up again are you?" And before she could stop herself her fear turned to anger and she was jumping to her feet. She glared down at her mother as she asked, "What the hell did you do this time, Mother?"

"Samantha!" Jax scolded. "You do not speak to your mother that way. We are not breaking up again. Now apologize and sit down."

Sam looked at them both very carefully. Finally she realized that whatever it was they wanted to talk about it wasn't bad. "I'm sorry." The twelve year old said as she dropped her head and sat back down.

Alexis brushed at her daughter's hair. "Apology accepted, baby." She looked up at Jax, smiled, and then titled Sam's head up. "Actually sweetheart, you're reaction is part of what we want to talk to you about. I've been thinking quite a lot about you and Jax. I know how much you love him, and how much he loves you, and I want to make sure that you both have what I know you both want and need."

Sam was looking a little confused. "Huh?"

"How would you feel about Jax adopting you?" Alexis asked as she watched her baby carefully.

"Adopt me?" Sam asked as she looked between Alexis and Jax. "You mean he'd be like my dad?"

Jax nodded. "That's exactly what it means. I love you as if you were my little girl Sam. If I adopted you then I would legally be your dad and nothing could ever change that or take that away from us."

"So I'd be Samantha Jacks-Davis?" Sam asked. "And Lady Jane and John would be my grandparents for real? And if you and my Mom… if you ever… again… you'll still be my dad?"

Jax was smiling, and so was Alexis as she swept Sam's hair off her shoulder. Sam had let her hair grow out and for once it was down and loose, lying in dark waves over her shoulders, and Alexis loved it. Sam was so beautiful; Alexis took pride in that, even though she knew it meant that in a few years she'd be scaring off boys left and right. "Samantha Jacks-Davis; I like the sound of that."

"So do I." Jax agreed. "And yes, they would be your grandparents for real, and yes, I will always be your dad no matter what, for the rest of your life."

Sam jumped to her feet again and wrapped her arms around Jax and then her mother. "This is the best idea ever!"

Alexis was thrilled and so relieved. She'd been a little worried about Sam's reaction, but now as she watched Sam beaming at Jax she wondered why. They loved each other, they adored each other, so she should have known that giving Jax the child she knew he longed for, and Sam the father she needed and wanted, was indeed the best idea ever. Both Sam and Jax looked so happy that Alexis could physically feel it. It felt warm, like the summer sun on a bright summer day. After two bumpy years it finally felt like Alexis' life was finally back on track, and her future was looking bright again.


	2. Chapter 2

Everyone that Jax and Alexis knew was happily gathered at the newly reopened and renamed Metro Court for one of the biggest parties Jax had ever thrown. It was a little over the top, and Jax would be the first to admit it, but it wasn't everyday that he became a father. Sam's adoption had been finalized that morning and now the new family was celebrating with the people they loved and cared about. Sam was on cloud nine as she laughed and talked to her friends, and so were her parents. It was such a special night that the normally very tomboyish Sam was all decked out in a beautiful new dress, her dark hair done up in perfect long ringlets, her nails painted, and she was even wearing training-heels.

"She looks so happy." Bobbie said as she came up to Alexis who was watching her daughter and her new father dance.

Alexis smiled at her friend. When Sam turned up in Port Charles two years go she came as a packaged deal with Bobbie's fifteen year old daughter, Caroline, though the girl preferred to be called Carly. Alexis wasn't much for believing in the divine, but there was no other way to explain Sam and Carly meeting at a group home in Florida, becoming close, and then setting off to find their birth mothers together. Birth mothers who, it just so happened, lived in the same small New York harbor town, and were already oddly connected though family history. It had to be divine intervention because it was truly a miracle and a blessing. "She is. I'm so glad I could give her this; give her a father."

Bobbie's smile turned bittersweet. "I wish I could have done the same for Carly."

"Oh, Bobbie, I'm so sorry." Alexis said with a gentle flinch. She hadn't meant to hurt her friend's feelings, she hadn't thought before speaking. Over the last two years since their daughters came back into their lives the two women had become close, and she would never have said that if she'd taken a moment to think first.

"It's alright Alexis." Bobbie said as she put her hand on the other woman's arm. A lot can happen in a family in two years. For example a man can throw away his family for a cheap affair with his own father's wife. Bobbie should have known that Rita was trouble but she didn't see it until it was too late. While her focus had been on her three children, Tony's had been on Rita Jones, his late father's much younger widow. "I'm really glad you and Jax have worked things out and that you both are able to give that precious little girl everything she needs."

Alexis smiled warmly at Bobbie. "It's the struggles that make everything else worth so much more."

After finishing her dance with Jax Sam made a b-line for Carly who was trying to teach B.J how to do the chicken dance along with B.J's cousin Maxie. Jax had stepped away to speak with his parents, and Kristina was talking to Miguel about her summer plans while watching the room. Much to Alexis' frustration Kristina planned on spending the summer working on a album for L&B Records and doing a handful of shows in New York and California, rather then preparing to start college in the fall. Kristina was still trying to convince her overly educated sister and brother that taking her freshman courses at PCU was not going to lead her to a life of living in a trailer park with sixteen kids and a husband who looked like John Goodman. She wanted to stay in Port Charles so she could be close to her family, and she wanted to give this music thing a real chance. At least she was willing to take college classes; it was a fair compromise as far as Kristina was concerned. Alexis still refused to forgive Ned for bringing up the idea, but at least she'd stop throwing things at him every time she saw him.

The party was a private one so it was more then a little surprising to watch as Brenda Barrett stepped off the elevator. No one had seen her since she left after graduating high school; no one but Jax that is. He'd seen her in Europe and had a brief affair with her. Which is why when Kristina saw her she knew she needed to get her to leave. Everyone in Port Charles knew about her and Jax, including Sam, and she didn't want her niece's night ruined. After excusing herself to Miguel she went over to Carly and pulled her away from the little kids. She whispered in her best friend's ear and they both glared in Brenda's direction.

"Excuse me." Kristina said as she and Carly approached the dark haired young woman. "This is a private party. The restaurant is closed tonight."

Brenda smiled at the girls. "Its alright. I'm looking for Jax and they said he was up here."

"He is." Carly said in a fair less civil tone then Kristina used. "He's celebrating and you're not welcome."

Brenda looked at the seventeen year old as if she were something nasty on the bottom of her shoe. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Carly said bluntly. "He's here celebrating with his fiancée," Jax and Alexis were engaged to someday be engaged so to Carly that wasn't a lie, "And his daughter, you know, his family. So you need to leave, preferably before I have to break a nail throwing you out."

Brenda looked past Carly to see Jax across the room. He was standing with Alexis and her daughter. She watched as he picked the girl up and kissed her cheek before hugging her. She could see Alexis' arm around him, and she watched as he put the girl down and took Alexis' hand, leading her to the dance floor where he held her so lovingly in his arms. He looked so happy.

"Tonight is about my niece and her new father." Kristina said firmly. When Brenda looked at her she continued. "If you want to see Jax do it another time, not tonight, because I'll be damned if you ruin Sam's party."

"Fine." Brenda said after stealing another glance at Jax. "I know how much Sam means to him. He talked about her all the time. I can't wait to meet her, but your right, not tonight."

Carly snorted rudely as Brenda walked back to the elevator. "If she weren't such a self centered bitch she'd realized she'd met Sam more then once before she left. She should have stayed gone."

Kristina nodded. "I hope she doesn't cause trouble for my sister and Jax."

"Don't worry Kris." Carly said with her best Spencer smile. "We won't let her screw with Alexis and Jax. You have no idea how much I hate a home wrecker."

Kristina knew her friend was still blaming herself for Bobbie's marriage falling apart. Carly thought that her showing up in Bobbie's life again helped to end her mother's marriage, but it had already been unstable. "Come on. Robin and Stone are eating all the shrimp and I'm starved."

The rest of the party went off without a hitch. Which meant no one noticed the extra photographer who was taking pictures of Alexis, Kristina, Sam, Nikolas and Stefan. No one thought twice when he asked the Cassadines to gather for a group picture. Jax had hired people to take pictures and video so no one asked questions that maybe they should have.

By the end of the night Sam was exhausted and was nearly asleep in a corner where some chairs had been lined up, her head in Carly's lap and her feet in Kristina's, both teens had their heads back against the wall and their eyes closed. While Alexis, Bobbie, and Jane gathered around the girls to fawn over how cute they were; Stefan stepped over to Jax. He wanted to have a word with the man.

"Jax." Stefan said coolly.

Jax nodded at Alexis' brother as he replied, "Stefan."

"My niece looks very happy." Stefan said nonchalantly.

Jax knew there was more to what Stefan was saying then just his words. "She is happy. So are Alexis and Kristina, and I plan on keeping it that way."

"You've hurt them in the past." Stefan told the younger man as Jax turned to face him full on.

Jax didn't flinch away from Stefan. The two had ever truly gotten along, they didn't like each other, but for Alexis they put up with each other. "So have you." He said without hesitation. "But unlike you, even when we were having problems, I have never turned my back on Alexis."

"You went off to Rome and had an affair with a woman who was barely of legal age." Stefan said coldly.

Jax was not going to allow the man to gain the upper hand or put him in whatever place he was trying to put him in. "You cast Alexis out of your life, told her that as far as you were concerned she was dead, and then spent years treating her like garbage. You dangled you're love and affection in front of her as a way to control her. You used her when you needed her and then cast her aside like a broken plaything more then once. Yes, I hurt Alexis, we hurt each other; but nothing I could ever do to her could come close to what you've done to her. So if you've come over here to give me some lecture and a warning about hurting them you can shove it up your pompous…"

"Jax." Alexis said firmly as she came up to the two men. Her tone of voice let them know she'd heard them and didn't approve of their pissing contest. "Stefan. Are you two playing nice?"

Jax turned his heated glare into a beaming smile for her. "Of course we are."

"Mmhmm." Alexis replied as she eyed the two men and then shook her head. She looked at Jax as she said, "Sam's out like a light. I'd like to get her home."

"Ready when you are." Jax said as Alexis took his hand. He and Stefan glared at each other as Alexis said goodnight to her brother and the pulled Jax away. "Doesn't he drive you insane with the hot and cold way he treats you?"

Alexis shrugged. "He's my brother, Jax. You of all people know what it's like to love a brother that's…" She paused to think and then continued, "So deeply complex."

"You're right." Jax said as they approached the girls. "But he still bugs me."

Alexis laughed as she watched Jax pick their daughter up in his arms. "That's ok. You bug him too."

Sam slept the entire way back to the lakehouse. She didn't even stir as her mother changed her into her pajamas. She smiled in her sleep when Alexis kissed her forehead, and when Jax leaned in to do the same she wrapped her arms around his neck. Once Sam was tucked in Jax and Alexis stood in her doorway and just watched her sleep. Jax put his arms around Alexis' waist and whispered, "Thank you."

Her reply was to turn in his arms and kiss him. Without breaking the kiss Jax closed Sam's door and lead Alexis down the hall to her room and the bed they so often shared. Even though he didn't spend every night, only most nights, this was Jax's home. Alexis was his home, and he was hers, and the heart of that home was Sam. He would do anything for them and Kristina. He'd take on the world for them and he'd win for them, for his family.


	3. Chapter 3

In the front living room of the brownstone Alexis and Bobbie were sitting on the couch talking about Bobbie's legal battles. Tony had filed for divorce and custody of B.J. and Lucas. Alexis had been more then willing to represent Bobbie in both cases. The divorce would be pretty straightforward and because Bobbie still loved Tony, she wouldn't contest it. He would keep his assets and she'd keep hers, which included the brownstone, which she'd bought years before she'd ever met Tony. The real battle would be in family court. B.J. was Tony's biological daughter, which gave him an upper hand where she was concerned. Bobbie had adopted Lucas on her own before she and Tony were married; after they were married Tony adopted him as well. Bobbie didn't want to keep the kids from their father, but Tony wanted sole custody, he wanted to keep them away from her.

Bobbie looked at the closed door that separated the front room from the family room, where Carly, B.J. Lucas, and Zander were, before looking at Alexis with such hurt in her eyes. "I swear I think he's trying to punish me."

Alexis frowned at her friend. "Punish you for what Bobbie?"

"My past." Bobbie said softly. "I think it was easier for him to deal with it when it wasn't so tangible."

"Carly?" Alexis said just as softly.

Bobbie nodded. "I was a teenage hooker, Alexis, and she's the product of that. Tony just couldn't handle it. He couldn't handle having his perfect little vision of his world tarnished that way." Bobbie sighed as she set the cup she'd been cradling in her hands down on the coffee table. "He couldn't handle that I lied to him either."

"You didn't lie." Alexis tried to reassure the other woman. "Bobbie, I understand that kind of pain. You didn't lie; you buried it down deep so you wouldn't hurt. I didn't tell anyone about Sam until I told Kristina. Telling someone, even someone you love and trust, it would have been like stabling yourself in the heart."

"What made you tell Kristina?" Bobbie asked as she looked up into the dark eyes of the younger woman.

Alexis thought about it for a moment. "I was telling her about our mother, about my memories of what happened to her, the knife was already plunged pretty deep. I guess I figured that while it was there I might as well share that too. I'm really glad I did."

Bobbie gave the younger woman a warm smile. "I'm glad you did too because now our girls are home where they belong."

"Oh good grief." Carly said as she walked into the room. "Mama, we've been home for two years. When are you two going to stop gushing like we just walked through the door?"

"Never." Bobbie answered as she wiped away a singer tear that had rolled down her cheek.

Carly frowned when she saw the tear. "Mama, what's wrong?"

"Nothing honey, I'm fine." Bobbie lied.

"Is this about Tony?" Carly asked as she looked between her mother and Alexis. "Has he done something?"

Bobbie could see the guilt and pain in Carly's eyes. She stood up and went to her daughter, pulling the young woman into her arms. "I don't want you to worry about this, Carly. Everything is going to be just fine."

Carly hugged her mother tightly as she looked over at Alexis who gave her a reassuring nod. It helped knowing that Alexis was on her mother's side, not only as a kick ass lawyer but also as a friend. "I'm sorry Mama."

"Caroline." Bobbie said firmly as she pulled away so she could look into her daughter's eyes. "Listen to me." She paused to make sure Carly was paying attention. "This is not your fault. Honey, Tony and I were having issues before you came to town. I don't want you blaming yourself for this. Understand?"

"Yeah." Carly said with a nod.

Bobbie caressed her daughter's cheeks. "Good. Now, did you need something?"

"I was going to make some lunch for B.J. and Lucas and wanted to know if you and Alexis would like something." Carly said softly.

"Fresh coffee would be nice." Bobbie replied and then looked over at Alexis. "Alexis?"

Alexis gave a soft warm smile. "Coffee would be prefect, thank you Carly."

Carly's returned smile was weak but warm. She looked at her mother one last time and then disappeared back behind the closed doors. Bobbie walked over and sat beside Alexis with a soft, sad, sigh.

"It'll be ok, Bobbie." Alexis reassured her friend as she took the older woman's hand in her own and squeezed it. "Everyone will come out of this fine, stronger, you'll see."

Later that evening Carly told her mother she was going for a walk. She walked all the way to her uncle's club, to the apartment above it, and used her key to let herself in. "Jason?"

Jason Morgan, who had been Jason Quartermain until his eighteenth birthday, had left his parents house as soon as he was legally able. Two years after the accident that nearly killed him, hurt Carly, and sent his alcoholic brother to rehab, Jason still wasn't the boy he use to be. He wasn't, and couldn't be, the all American boy, the athlete, the perfect student on his way to medical school, the Quartermain's golden boy. So on his eighteenth birthday he moved out, first into an old train car out in the middle of nowhere, and then into the apartment above Luke's, which is also where he worked.

"Jason?" Carly called out again as she flopped down on his beat up old couch. He didn't have to say a word; Carly simply knew he'd come out of his bedroom. "I ruined my mother's life."

"You didn't ruin her life." Jason replied. It was the same conversation they'd been having for weeks. "Tony Jones is an ass. A horny old bastard with major mommy issues."

Carly snorted, then smiled at him until she noticed he was in nothing but a towel and that he was still wet from his shower. She and Zander had started dating awhile back and for the last year were pretty steady, but there was something about Jason that sent her heart into overdrive.

Jason noticed her blush and smirked. "Sorry." He went back into his room to get dressed. A few minutes later he came out in jeans and tight, dark, Luke's club t-shirt. "So what happened?"

"Alexis came over to talk to my Mom about the court cases." Carly explained. "I just hate seeing her going through this, Jas."

"I know." Jason replied as he sat beside her. "Bobbie's a good person. She shouldn't be treated like shit, from what I've heard Monica say it's been going on for a while. Tracy seems to think he only married her because B.J. needed a mother." He paused a moment and then asked, "Want me to rough him up?"

Carly laughed. Simply being with Jason made her feel better. He always knew the right things to say and do. Most people saw him as damaged, but not Carly, she saw him as being liberated. In her mind the accident hadn't destroyed Jason, it freed him to be who he really was. "No, I don't think my Mom would approve of that, but thanks for the offer."

Jason just shrugged his reply. He was her best friend, and she was his. They'd helped each other out over the past couple of years, and they knew they could be real with each other no matter what. If anything more then friendship and unconditional love sprang up between them it was fleeting. Neither wanted to risk screwing up a good thing. Besides, Carly was dating Zander and Jason was dating Kristina.

"Probably better that way." Jason told her. "If anyone's going to kick Dr. Jones' ass for hurting Bobbie, it'll be Luke."

That got a small smile from Carly.

"Come down to the club." Jason said when he saw her relax a little. "Kris is singing tonight."

Carly nodded. "Ok, sure, just don't make me go around Ned and his wife. Lois is seriously annoying."

Down in the club Carly sat at the bar while Jason was working. She smiled brightly when her friend took the stage. She was so engrossed in watching Kristina that she hadn't seen Zander until he snuck up on her. She yelped and then smacked his arm. Zander laughed and then leaned down and kissed her.

"Hey now none of that." Luke said as he pointed the soda water sprayer at them. "That's my niece your man handling."

"Uncle Luke!" Carly moaned as she shooed him away.

After the club was closed Carly, Zander, Jason and Kristina sat at a table talking and laughing. Kristina was so excited about the upcoming mini tour that Lois had booked for her that it was infectious. Zander talked about his first semester at PCU, and Jason just listened as always. At the end of the night Zander walked Carly home, while Kristina stayed with Jason. It was nearly dawn when the redhead finally made it back to the lakehouse. When she turned eighteen she moved to the bedroom in the back of the house that had it's own door, which made it so much easier to sneak in at night.

"Good morning sister dear." Kristina greeted the next morning as she walked into the kitchen.

Alexis looked up at her sister with her best mother's glare over the top of her glasses.

"What?" The redhead asked as she poured a cup of coffee.

"Do you have any idea what time it was when you came home last night?" Alexis asked.

Kristina sighed. "Alexis. Don't start." She pulled out a kitchen chair and sat down. "How's Sam? Is she feeling better?"

Alexis nodded. "Her fever broke last night. Now she's just feeling icky. She's still in my bed."

"Will you be able to come down to L&B?" Kristina asked. "Lois has some contracts for you to look over."

"I'll be there." Alexis agreed. "Jax is stopping by to stay with Sam."

Kristina smiled at her sister. She knew this whole music thing wasn't want Alexis wanted for her, but she had to give her big sister credit for trying. Kristina understood that in Alexis' mind, if their mother hadn't been performing, Helena would have never figured out what Mikkos had done, that he'd hidden Kristin and their daughters away in Sweden, and their mother would still be alive. Getting up from the table Kristina walked over to her sister and kissed the top of her head. "Love you Lex."

"Love you too, Krissy." Alexis replied as her baby sister hugged her, completely defusing any rant or reprimand that might have come on about Kristina's sneaking in after a late night.

After leaving the lakehouse Kristina headed to the studio but stopped at Kelly's first to get some tea. She chatted with Ruby for a few minutes and then headed towards the studio. While she was walking she bumped into someone. "Oh, I'm sorry."

The man was tall and smiled warmly at the young woman. "No harm done miss."

"Kris?" Jason called out. He'd seen her and the stranger collide and for a moment it seemed like it had been on purpose. "You ok?"

"I'm fine." Kristina replied.

"I wasn't paying attention. I apologize." The man said with a slight bow and tip of his hat.

Kristina gave him a warm smile. "It's alright."

The man watched as the young woman walked off with the young man. Once they were out of sight he slipped her pda from his pocket and began checking some of the information on it. When he had what he needed he discreetly left it at Kelly's for her to find when she realized it was missing.

Later that afternoon Ned looked up from his paperwork when he heard someone walk into the front office. He smiled at Alexis.

"Hello Ned." Alexis said as she walked towards him.

"Oh, so you're talking to me this week." Ned teased.

Alexis gave him a hard glare. "I have too. I'm Kristina's attorney and there are contracts to look over."

"Lois has them." Ned informed her. "She'll be here in a few minutes. Can I get you anything?"

"No." Alexis replied as she set her brief case down. "Thank you."

Ned sighed. "How long are you going to be mad at me over this?" When she didn't reply he asked, "Why are you so dead set against this, Alexis? Kristina has talent. She could have a huge career."

"At a price." Alexis said as she glared at him. "She's an eighteen year old kid, Ned. She should be doing stuff that eighteen-year-old kids do, but she won't be able to do that if she has to deal with the loss of privacy and loss of her own time that will happen if she follows through with this. She isn't going to be able to hide the way you hid behind Eddie Maine. She'll be out in the open, exposed."

"A target?" Ned asked.

Alexis nodded. "We still have no idea where Helena is, or if she's even dead or live. You're setting my sister up as the perfect piece of prey, Ned. If Helena's out there, do you know how much she'd enjoy finding Kristina the way she found our mother? Do you know how much pleasure, how much joy that twisted old bitch would take in slitting my sister's throat and ripping out her vocal cords the way she did our mother's?"

Ned soot up and closed the distance between him and Alexis. He put his hands on her upper arms in a comforting way, and looked into her frightened dark eyes. "I won't let anything happen to Kristina, Alexis, I promise you she'll be safe."

"You'd better." Alexis told him, as she looked him right in the eyes. "Because if anything happens to my baby sister I will hold you personally responsible."

Something in her eyes, in her tone, made Ned shiver. "I understand."

"I can't loose her again, Ned." Alexis said softly.

"You won't Alexis." Ned replied as he hugged her. "I promise."


	4. Chapter 4

Alexis was feeling like crap, she was pretty sure she'd caught the bug Sam had, but she managed to push it aside as she sat at the conference room table putting Tony Jones' lawyer in his place. Tony, on the advice of his former stepmother turned lover, was not only trying to take Bobbie's rights away as a mother but the brownstone as well. His lawyer argued that the brownstone was the children's home and therefore should stay with Tony since he would have sole custody, but Alexis reminded him that they haven't been to family court yet and custody hadn't been decided. Not only that but Bobbie had owned the brownstone before the marriage and continued to pay the mortgage herself. As far at the kids went, Bobbie and Tony where sharing custody, and Bobbie wanted that to stay the same. An hour and half later Tony's lawyer was telling him to give up on the idea of taking the brownstone. Tony didn't like it but he agreed, so they went back to working out the final details of the divorce.

Alexis and Bobbie stayed behind after the meeting broke up. Alexis explained what would happen next and promised Bobbie she would do better then her best. She also reassured her friend that she knew the judge they'd have in family court and that things would work out. The two women stood from their chairs at the same time and Alexis swayed. She put her hand to head as the room spun, a small moan of discomfort on lips as her eyes closed against the sudden feeling.

"Alexis?" Bobbie asked with concern for her friend as her nursing instincts kicked in. She turned Alexis around and gently pushed her back so she was leaning against the table, rather then being solely on her feet.

"I'm alright." Alexis said despite looking anything but alright.

"You nearly fell over, Alexis." Bobbie said as she felt Alexis' forehead and cheeks.

Alexis opened her eyes and smiled sheepishly. "Just a little light headed. I must have stood up to fast."

Bobbie wasn't buying it. Her instincts as a well practiced nurse and a mother were screaming warning bells at her. "Are you feeling alright? You looked kind of tired when we met this morning."

"I think I'm coming down with something." Alexis admitted. She took a deep, slow breath, and then stood up straight again. "I think I caught what Sam had."

"Sam was sick weeks ago." Bobbie pointed out. "When was the last time you saw a doctor?"

"Ten minutes ago." Alexis said with a straight face. "I was looking right at Tony."

That remark caused Bobbie to give the younger woman a motherly glare. "Funny."

Alexis smirked. "I thought so."

"Come on." Bobbie said with a gentle shake of her head. "I'm taking you to the hospital."

"Bobbie." Alexis protested. "Really, I'm fine. I haven't had a fever or anything. I've just felt a little nauseous lately, that's all."

Bobbie's hazel eyes became very inquisitive when she heard that. "Nauseous? What about fatigue? Vomiting?"

Alexis thought about it for a few moments. "Yes, I guess I have felt tired lately. No vomiting, but I can't seem to shake the nausea and a few dizzy spells."

"Have you noticed anything else that seems odd?" Bobbie asked in a knowing tone.

"Odd how?" Alexis asked. Now she was starting to look concerned.

Bobbie was trying hard not to smile. "Odd reactions to food or smells? Odd aches or tenderness?"

Alexis had to think about it again and suddenly her eyes went wide. "Sam was pealing an orange the other day and I thought I was going to vomit." As far as feeling aches or tenderness she didn't say out loud but she did a quick glance down to her breasts.

The smile Bobbie was trying to hide broke out in full force as she asked, "Alexis, honey, is there any possible way you could be pregnant?"

"What?" Alexis asked, her head snapping up, her voice going up in octave, her eyes wide with a slight look of panic. "Pregnant?"

Bobbie nodded. "You're showing all the early signs."

Pregnant? Could she really be pregnant? She thought back over the last few weeks and even though they were normally careful, she and Jax had had a couple of spontaneous nights. Pregnant? They hadn't talked about having a baby, not really, just that brief comment Jax made the day she and the girls moved into the lakehouse. The thought of having another baby, having Jax's baby, both thrilled and terrified her. Things were good between them; her life was good, why did the universe keep trying to rock her peaceful little boat! Pregnant?

"Alexis?" Bobbie said with real concern when Alexis zoned out. "Alexis?"

"Huh?" The suddenly nervous woman replied. "What?" Alexis looked at Bobbie for a moment and then asked yet again, "Pregnant?"

Bobbie smiled brightly at her friend. "Come on hon. Let's go to the hospital. There's an easy way to figure this out."

Alexis shook her head. "No, thank you Bobbie, but no, I can't, I mean, I don't want…"

"It's ok." Bobbie said as she put a hand on Alexis' arm. She understood. Alexis was a little to much of a control freak and needed to get this in hand herself before going to others. "But you need to find out."

Alexis nodded. She still had a deer in the headlights look as she said, "I'll pick up a home test."

On her way home that night Alexis did pick up a home pregnancy test. For several minutes after pulling into the driveway Alexis sat there in her car with the engine off and the white drugstore bag on the passenger seat. A baby; a baby with Jax; a beautiful little baby boy or a baby girl that no one could take from her, a baby she would raise the way she should have raised Sam. A second chance to be the mother she should have been to Sam all along.

After gathering her things Alexis made her way up to her front door. She took a deep breath and then walked in. When she didn't see anyone she got a flicker of hope that she'd have the house to herself.

"Hi Mom!" Sam said as she came bouncing down the steps from the hallway.

"Jesus Sam!" Alexis yelped as she dropped her brief case and the white bag. "Don't do that!"

Sam frowned. "Sorry." She went to help her mom pick her things up but Alexis shooed her away. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." Alexis replied. "Aren't you supposed to be somewhere?"

"Mrs. Spencer is running late." Sam replied. "Is that from the drugstore? Are you ok? You haven't looked well lately."

Alexis nodded. "It's something for my upset stomach. I'm fine baby."

Sam studied her mom carefully. Something wasn't right, but she couldn't put her finger on it, and she didn't have time to ask because there was a sudden car horn. "That's Mrs. Spencer. She picked Niky up and we're going to the movies." She kissed her mom's cheek and then ran for the door. "You should take a nap, and have some soup, and some tea, and call Dad so he can come take care of you."

Alexis smiled at her little girl. "I'll be fine baby. Go and have a good time, don't worry."

Once she was alone Alexis took the pregnancy test to her bathroom and locked herself in. She read the instructions five times before she finally peed on the stick. Alexis set the white stick on the counter and then sat on the edge of her bathtub and starred at it. She wasn't sure how much time passed after the egg timer dinged before she finally had the nerve to reach out and pick the test up, though she picked it up with her eyes closed. Her mind was racing, her heart was pounding, and breathing wasn't coming easy to her in that moment.

"If two blue lines appear." She said aloud as she remembered what the instructions said. Alexis took a deep breath, opened her eyes, and looked down at the little window. "You're pregnant."

When Jax got to the lakehouse he was a little surprised to find the living room empty. He knew Alexis was home because her car was in the drive. "Alexis? Sweetheart, are you home?" He called out as he made his way through the house. "Alexis?"

"In here." Alexis called out from her bedroom.

"Hey." Jax said as he walked into her room to find her sitting cross-legged on her bed. She looked a little dazed and he was suddenly really concerned. Walking over he sat beside her and titled her head up. "Hey, are you alright?"

Her bright brown eyes showed fear and wonder, concern and happiness, uncertainty and excitement. She looked both stunned and thrilled as she looked up into Jax's bright blue eyes. For a moment as she stared wordlessly, breathlessly at him she wondered if their child would have his eyes, or hers, light hair or dark. Would he or she look like a Jacks or a Cassadine, or would they be a perfect combination of the two.

She was really starting to freak Jax out. He cupped her face in his hands as he asked, "Alexis, sweetheart, talk to me, are you ok?"

"I'm fine." Alexis said softly. "I'm fine. I'm more then fine. I'm wonderful. I'm pregnant."

Relief washed over him as he let out the breath he'd been holding. She was fine, she was wonderful, and she was… "Pregnant?!"

Alexis nodded as she smiled at him. "You're ok with that aren't you?"

"Ok with that?" Jax asked in disbelief. Jax jumped to his feet and swept her up in his arms. He spun her around as he laughed, causing her to laugh as well. He lowered her to her feet and brought her face close to his and kissed her. When they broke apart he said, "I'm more then ok with that."

"We're having a baby." Alexis said. There was such a look of bliss on her face that it caused Jax to caress her face gently, almost reverently. But behind the sheer joy there was still a shadow of fear.

Jax pulled her into his arms and held her. "It's going to be different this time, Alexis. No one is going to hurt you, or the baby, no one is going to take her or him from you, no one is going to take me from you. There's no one out there who can hurt you like that again. Helena's gone, your father's dead. You're a strong woman, a fierce and wonderful mother, and you have a family now, a real one." He pulled her away a little and cupped her face in his hands. "This time it's going to be the way it should have been last time."

"I know." She said softly. "I know, but there is always going to be a part of me that remembers what it felt like to have Sam ripped out of my arms, a part of me that can still hear the way she cried when they took her from me."

Jax knew that his words of reassurance would fall short in the shadow of those emotions so instead of trying he simply pulled her close again and kissed her. They stood there for several minutes kissing and caressing; showing each other how they felt through their physical connection. Then Jax scooped her up in his arms again and carried her back to the bed. He held her in his arms and played with her hair as she rested against him. "Sam is going to be an amazing big sister."

"She will." Alexis agreed. "But I don't want to tell her just yet, I don't want to tell anyone just yet. I want to wait until I'm a little further along. It's still really early. The only reason I even took a test so soon is because I almost fainted on Bobbie and she figured it out."

"You fainted?" Jax asked with immediate concern. "Should we go to the hospital?"

When she felt him move as if to get up she pressed her weight against him to make him stay put. "I'm going to call and make an appointment with Dr. Meadows first thing in the morning." She shifted in his arms just enough so that she could look at him face to face. "I'm fine, Jax, don't worry. I've actually been sitting here remembering what it was like before, with Sam, and fainting is pretty normal for me. I passed out twice before my dorm-mother sent me to the infirmary. I spent the first few weeks of my pregnancy light headed and nauseous."

"Was it a difficult pregnancy?" Jax asked carefully. Alexis never really talked about that time in her life and he never pushed. He waited for an opening, like now, and asked careful questions.

Alexis shook her head. "No, it was fine. With the exception of being locked away in a clinic for unwed teenage mothers, and the moment they stole her from my arms, it was the most wonderful time in my life. I loved being pregnant with Sam; I adored it. I savored every second of it; every dizzy spell, every bout of heartburn, the never ending hiccups, all the late sleepless nights when she would kick and squirm." Alexis chuckled softly as Jax wiped a tear off her cheek. "I use to call her my little guppy because I could have swore she was in there doing the back stroke or something. Knowing my daughter the way I do now, I was probably right."

Jax chuckled, a bright smile on his face as he listened to her. She was radiating such love for their children that he was soaking it in like man in the desert who'd just found an oasis.

"It was the labor that was difficult." Alexis said softly after taking a moment for herself to look over the memories. "I was alone with a bunch of strangers, doctors, nurses, no one to care about me or my baby. And Sam, Sam just did not want to come out. There was nothing medically wrong, no issues the doctors could fix, she just didn't want to be born. It got so bad that the doctor was thinking of doing a c-section." Alexis paused to let the sadness, hurt; anger and fear wash over her before continuing. "I think she knew. I think she knew that as soon as she was born our time together would be over."

Jax held her a little tighter and kissed the side of her head as his hand covered her hand, which now rested on her stomach.

"Our child won't be born like that, Jax." She told him after several long moments. "He or she won't be born into such a cold world where the only beacon of warmth and love is taken away from them the way it had been taken from Sam. I want you there, I need you to be there, I want our family there."

"I will be, Alexis, I will be right there with you when our child is born." Jax promised. "He or she will be born into a world full of people who are going to love and adore him or her."

Alexis smiled at that and nodded. She knew what he said was true. She knew this time would be different, it would be better, and it would be done right, and at the end if it all she would have Sam and this new baby and no one could ever taken them from her. And if by chance anyone tried? God help them.


	5. Chapter 5

There was something going on with her mother and Sam knew it. The problem was that no one would tell her what that something was. She'd noticed her mother sway, or suddenly grab the back of a chair as if she were dizzy. She'd noticed that sometimes her mother would get pale just before suddenly leaving the room. Once or twice she'd even heard her mother throwing up in her bathroom. She'd also noticed the way her dad acted, the way he was more attentive, and the odd new ways he looked at her. Sam hated being kept out of the loop and she was starting to panic. What if her mom was sick or something? She had a right to know what was going on!

Kristina was also starting to worry about her sister. She'd noticed the same things Sam had but she'd also noticed things Sam simply wouldn't understand, like Alexis suddenly drinking milk when she hated milk, or how Alexis hadn't ordered the tuna steak at the Metro Court for dinner even thought she loved the tuna steak at the Metro Court and always ordered it. Kristina had a theory.

Sam was just pissed off and scared. She was pacing the living room and rambling about being treated like a kid. She wanted to know what was going on and she wanted to know now!

"Squirt!" Kristina said with a raised voice and a chuckle. "Will you stop? You're going to wear a groove in the floor or your going to bump into something. Will you just sit down and relax."

"They're hiding something from us, Kris!" Sam said with a huff. "I know it. I just know it!"

"I'm sure everything's fine, Sammie." Kristina replied as she put her arm around her niece. "And I'm sure that if there is something to tell they'll tell us when it's time to tell us."

Sam glared at the redhead, which just made the young woman laugh. Later, after her mother had come home early and then soon after went to her room to take a nap, Sam decided enough was enough and she was going to find out what was going on with her mom. Sam was going to play p.i. She waited until Kristina was out of the house and then double-checked to make sure her mom was still napping. Then she snuck down the hall to her mother's study. She opened the door slowly, carefully, and closed it behind her the same way. Then she went over to the desk and started looking around. Finding her mother's date book she flipped it open and looked at the things that where written down in it.

There was an appointment for Dr. Meadows written down for next week. Her mother must be sick if she were going to see a doctor, right? Deciding she needed more information Sam decided she needed to look at something more personal. She needed to go through her mother's purse. The little girl crept out of her mother's study and back down to her bedroom. Once again she slowly, carefully opened the door to her mom's room and slipped inside. Alexis was still asleep so Sam was extra careful about walking over to the dresser where her mom's purse was. She picked up the bag gently so it wouldn't make any noise and was just about to open it.

"Are you looking for something in particular Sam?" Alexis asked from where she was now sitting up in her bed.

Sam yelped and dropped her mother's purse, causing everything to come spilling out. She spun around, knocking the bottle of prenatal vitamins across the room with her foot, and stared wide-eyed at her mom. "I… um… I was…"

Alexis raised an eyebrow as she crossed her arms. "Yes? You were what, daughter?"

Being on the verge of getting in trouble and her concern for her mom merged and rather then answer her mother she asked her own question after putting her hands on her hips and giving her mother a very good Davis glare. "What's going on with you?"

"Excuse me?" Alexis replied as she gave Sam her own Davis glare.

"You heard me!" Sam said as she walked over to her mother's bed. "What's going on, Mom? I know something's wrong with you, what is it? Are you sick? Is it bad? Are you going to end up in the hospital or something? Are you going to die?"

Alexis blinked. Then she reached out and pulled her daughter into her arms and held her tight. "Oh baby, no, I'm not sick and I'm certainly not dying."

"Then what's wrong?" Sam asked as she clung to her mom. "I know something wrong, Mom, I know it. Please tell me."

"There's nothing wrong baby." Alexis reassured her little girl before pushing her away a bit so she could look down into Sam's face. She could see her daughter about to protest but cut her off. "There's nothing wrong, Sammie, but you're right there is something going on." Alexis had been agonizing over how and when to tell Sam about the baby. She was really worried and a little scared of the girl's reaction. When she first got Sam back one of the girl's biggest issues was feeling abandoned and unloved. She wanted to know why Alexis didn't want her, why she hadn't fought to keep her, and it had taken a lot of work on both their parts to get past that. How was Sam going to feel about her having another baby, one she would keep, and one she would fight for?

"What is it?" Sam asked. "I can take it. I'm tough."

It was the utter fear and uncertainty that made Alexis decide she needed to tell Sam the truth and then work through whatever happens after. "Sammie, baby, I love you so much, and being your mommy is the best thing I have ever done in my whole life. I love being a mommy, I love being your mommy, and because of you, I'm going to love being a mommy to the new baby that Daddy and I going to have."

Alexis held her breath.

Sam blinked. She stared at her mother for what seemed like minutes before blinking again. A baby? They were going to have a new baby? But what did that mean for her? "You're having a baby?"

Alexis nodded. "Yes, sweetheart, I am

"You and Jax are going to have a baby?" Sam repeated. The fear and uncertainty were still there in her dark eyes, but now there was also panic, and a little hurt, and a lot of insecurity.

Alexis tried not to frown. Sam hadn't called Jax by his name since they'd asked her how she'd feel about him adopting her. "Your Dad," She emphasized that Jax was still her dad, "and I are going to have a baby together, yes."

"Oh." Sam said as she tried to pull away from her mom.

But Alexis wouldn't let her go. "Sammie, this doesn't change how much your Dad and I love you. You're still our baby too. You will always be my baby, Sammie, no matter how old you get or how many brothers or sisters you end up having." Alexis took her daughter's face in her hands. "You are my firstborn, you will always have a very special place in my heart."

Sam was quiet for a moment and then looked up and asked, "Are you going to love this baby more?"

Alexis' eyes went wide as she gasped, "Sam! No!" She pulled her daughter into a crushing hug and kissed the top of her head. "No, Sam, I would never love one of my children more then another. I would never love you any less for any reason. I will love you and this baby with all that I am, Sam, I will love you both with all my heart and soul."

Sam clung to her mom and knew that every word she said was true. Sam sat there in her mother's arms for a long time without saying another word. She sat there so long that Alexis was starting to worry, but then she suddenly looked up and said, "I want a sister."

"What?" Alexis asked with a startled blink. She wasn't sure what she'd been expecting but that wasn't it.

"I want a sister." Sam repeated.

Alexis' whole body relaxed as all her worry and fear evaporated. "I don't think I have much control over that, my love."

"I know." Sam said as she snuggled with her mom. She was still feeling strange about this whole baby thing. She believed her mom, but Sam would just have to see how it all played out. "I'm just putting it out there so that whoever is in control of that knows I want a sister, just like you have Krissy."

When Kristina got home that night she found her sister sitting on the couch waiting up for her. She knew that Alexis wasn't thrilled about her seeing Jason but she didn't make too much of a fuss. Jason worked for Luke and she and Luke were friends, what bothered Alexis more was Jason's risk taking attitude. He liked fast cars, faster motorcycles, and the rush he got from helping Luke in his less then honest endeavors. Kristina tried to get Alexis to look on the bright side, Jason had come close to working for Sonny, but Luke convinced Sonny to turn him away and refuse to let Jason work for him because of Jason's friendship with Carly. It was through Carly that Kristina got to know the new Jason and something between them just clicked. They were the most unlikely couple, but for some strange reason they worked.

"How was your date?" Alexis asked as she slipped off her glasses.

"It was a lot of fun." Kristina answered as she walked over and sat beside her sister. She didn't want to go into details because it pretty much involved dinner at Kelly's, a ride on his bike at less than legal speeds, and sex in the boxcar. Jason brought out a side of her that most people didn't see. She was by no means as reserved as her sister, but she wasn't anywhere near being a bad girl either. "Feeling any better?"

Alexis smiled at her sister. "I'm fine, Kristina. Don't tell me I had you worried too?"

"Yes and no." Kristina said with a warm, loving smile. "I wasn't worried the same way Sam was. She was thinking the worse."

"Yeah, she confront me after I busted her for snooping." Alexis chuckled. Then she looked closely at her sister and asked, "What were you thinking?"

Kristina beamed at her sister. "You're pregnant."

Alexis' jaw dropped. "How did you know?"

"You're drinking milk, refusing certain foods, just little things that I've noticed." Kristina said brightly. "But I knew for sure and without a doubt when the smell of popping popcorn make you look a pasty pale green."

"I'm not going to be happy one little bit if I have to give up coffee AND popcorn." Alexis said with a frown before smiling and taking her sister into her arms and hugging her.

"I'm so happy for you and Jax." Kristina told her sister as she hugged her tight. When they pulled apart she asked, "How'd Sam take the news?"

Alexis sat back, resting her head on her arm, as she reached out to play with her sister's hair, which was in a braid that was slowly unraveling. "She was leery at first but once I reassured her that this wouldn't change how I feel about her, or how Jax feels, she warmed up to the idea. I think it's going to be a process, that she'll have ups and downs, but I think in the end she'll be great. She's demanding a little sister, by the way, and I blame you."

"Me?" Kristina said with a laugh. "What did I do?"

"You showed her how wonderful it is to have a baby sister." Alexis said, her dark eyes bright and gleaming.

Kristina couldn't help but smile just as brightly as she teased, "Great, you're a sappy pregnant lady."

Alexis laughed. "Enjoy it while you can. When I was pregnant with Sam, I hit my sixth month and turned into a raging bitch for weeks before I went back to my sweet self." She paused a moment to think and laughed. "I think I made a volunteer at the clinic cry."

"Really?" Kristina asked as she laughed with wide shocked eyes.

Alexis nodded while looking sheepish. "I was really hormonal. I mean I was sixteen, which is bad enough, and pregnant. It was lucky that I wasn't a terror the whole time."

"You'll be fine this time." Kristina said with a bright smile that made her sister worry. "There are some great yoga meditations that would be great for you!"

Alexis groaned as her sister went off on a tangent about healthy eating and yoga and other new age this and that, but as she sank into the couch and covered her face with a pillow she was smiling. With her family on her side she knew this was going to be a wonderful experience and at the end of it she'd have a brand new baby to love.


	6. Chapter 6

It was a beautiful day out on the lake and Sam was in heaven. She was out with her uncle on her sailboat, which he'd given her on her last birthday much to her mother's disapproval. Alexis didn't understand what a twelve year old needed a sailboat for. Sam had tried to explain that every twelve-year-old needed one, but her mother wasn't buying it. In the end it really didn't matter what argument either made, the boat was bought and that was that. It wasn't a huge sailboat and she was only allowed near it with her uncle or dad, but it was all hers and she named it North Star.

"It is nearly noon, Samantha." Stefan said from where he sat watching his niece steer the boat under his instructions. "We should head back. Mrs. Lansbury will have lunch waiting, and you have a riding lesson."

Sam pouted. She didn't mind her riding lessons, she liked the fact that it was something she and Nikolas could do together, but she was much more at home on the water than on horseback. "I'd much rather be out here, Uncle."

"I know." Stefan said with a warm smile. "But you made a promise to Nikolas."

"Ok, ok." The girl relented. The truth of the matter was that she'd do anything for Nikolas and he would do anything for her. This was clearly evident by the fact that once a week she climbed onto a massively huge and massively power animal and rode it around in circles because her beloved cousin asked her too.

After they returned to the island Stefan walked beside his niece as they made their way up to the house. "You are doing well, Samantha. You'll be sailing solo in no time."

Sam chuckled. "Not if my Mom has a say in it."

Stefan smiled. "She will adapt and relax a little in time."

That made Sam laugh. "Are we talking about the same woman?"

Nikolas was waiting for them in the sitting room where lunch had been served. Stefan enjoyed these Saturday afternoons with his nephew and niece. He enjoyed their company, listening to their thoughts on things, schooling them on all kinds of topics. The conversation was mostly in Greek, though for the last six months or so it had been in Russian so that Sam could get use to their truly native language. After lunch was finished Sam called to check in with her mom, which use to be annoying before her mom got pregnant, but now Sam liked checking in to make sure her mom and the baby were ok. Then she changed into her riding clothes and went down to the stables to meet Nikolas.

"I feel silly in these clothes." Sam said as she walked over to where Nikolas and their horses were waiting. "Especially the helmet."

Nikolas gave his cousin a smile. "You look very nice, Sammie."

Sam returned the smile. "Thank you Niky, but I still think I look silly."

The horse that Sam rode was named Raja and was actually Sheba's little brother. He was gentle and funny, and Sam really liked him, but he still scared her a bit. Their instructor was holding the horse's reins near the mounting stairs that Sam had to use to get into the saddle. She climbed up and settled herself in the saddle as Nikolas mounted Sheba. Since Nikolas was so much more advanced he was on his own for most of his lesson while Sam worked with their teacher. After their lessons the children were allowed to walk the horses around the island with one of the grooms following behind them just in case.

"Have you talked to Emily yet?" Sam asked as they rode at a slow pace side by side.

Nikolas shook his head. "No."

Sam rolled her eyes and groaned. "Why not? I thought you wanted to ask her to go to the dance with you?"

The fourteen-year-old boy stiffened a little as he stared straight ahead. He liked Emily, he really liked her, but he wasn't sure how she felt. She was younger than him, Sam's age, and he didn't think she was experiencing the same strange new feelings he was. He wouldn't be very comfortable with Sam liking a boy, so why should he think it would be ok for Emily to like him?

"You have that look." Sam said with a slightly disgusted face.

"What look?" Nikolas asked as he turned his head to look at his cousin.

"That noble, princely, gentlemen look. Knock it off. Your manners are blocking your common sense." Sam replied. "You don't have to like ask her on a date or anything. Just ask if she'd liked to hang out with us. I'm telling you Niky, she likes you too."

Nikolas gave his cousin a look that his aunt would have been proud of.

Sam rolled her eyes again. She was use to those looks and they had far less effect on her these days, well most of them anyway, her mom could still give a few that made the girl want to crawl under her bed and hide. "Come on, it's going to be fun, I can't wait to dress up like a zombie. I know you want to hang out with Em so just ask her."

"Will you be asking Lucky?" Nikolas asked, still giving his cousin a soft glare.

"He'll be there." Sam said with an odd look. "We'll hang out. I'm still not allowed to be around him alone."

Nikolas nodded in understanding. "Yes, I would think Aunt Alexis is being very mindful of your interactions with my thick headed brother."

Sam frowned at Nikolas. "Don't start that again!"

"I still don't understand what he was thinking." Nikolas huffed. "Why he thought two eleven year olds taking off like that would be wise. But then again his father is Luke Spencer and that is just the type of thing he would have been taught by the man."

"Nikolas!" Sam groaned a soft growl. "He was trying to help me out." She huffed. "I was upset about my Mom and Dad and he knew I needed to get away."

"Yes, and apparently the logical way to do so was to steal his father's car." Nikolas said, a bit of his old anger flaring up. "And drive off with you in it."

"We didn't steal it! My Dad said I couldn't hire wire any more cars after I took my Mom's. We had the keys." Sam huffed right back at her overprotective cousin. "Besides, it's not like Beecher's Corner is a million miles away."

"It's far enough that an eleven year old driving a car at all could have caused an accident." Nikolas said. "But an eleven year old driving that huge monster of car was asking for trouble."

"I was driving at eight." Sam stated as she continued to glare. "Cody taught me. Besides, that old man got out of the way in time, so it's not like anyone was hurt."

"The store front you plowed into didn't get out of the way and people could have been hurt." Nikolas pointed out. "You and Lucky could have been hurt. You were fortunate that you walked away with just minor scratches and that the store was closed."

"Luke tried to tell her not to chase us." Sam replied as she urged her horse to walk a little faster so she could get away from Nikolas and this conversation. "He knew we'd come back."

"She was terrified, Samantha!" Nikolas argued as he too quickened his horse's pace. "You ran away, you were reckless and you put yourself and Lucky in danger!"

Sam dropped her head for a moment and then looked up at her cousin and snapped at him, "It was over a year ago Nikolas! Drop it and move on!" She hadn't meant to scare her mother so badly. She'd just wanted some space so she could stop being mad at her for hurting Jax and driving him away. She and Lucky were going to come right back after a day or two, but once they got to Beecher's Corner they found themselves having fun, and for the first time since she'd found out her mom turned Jax down, Sam didn't feel scared or unsure. An over night stay turned into a week, and when her mother and Laura found them Sam got mad all over again and her attempt to get away ended when she accidently put Luke's car into drive rather then reverse and plowed into the front of a hardware store.

When Alexis finally got Sam home Sam's month long silent treatment came to a crashing halt when she and Alexis got into a massive battle of wills. All of Sam's emotions came bubbling to the surface, all her fears and insecurities, all her uncertainties over her ever-changing life, but the fight came to an abrupt end when Sam called her mother a bitch. Sam had not only stunned, and hurt, Alexis but she stunned her self, and was instantly remorseful for everything she'd done.

"Why do you keep bringing it up Nikolas?" Sam demanded when she realized Nikolas was still fuming while she'd been lost in her thoughts. "I got seriously punished for it." Sam nearly shuddered at the memory. Until that little stunt Alexis had never crossed the line into spanking her child, but Sam's behavior had left her little to no choice. She or Lucky, or some stranger on the street, could have been hurt or even killed. Alexis hadn't been able to over look that, or the stolen car, or the thousands of dollars in damage, or the week of hell the girl had put her through. So she'd made sure Sam learned her lesson really well this time. "And it's not like I'll ever do something like that again." Sam continued. "You don't have to keep bringing it up." She looked at her cousin, really looked at him, and suddenly had a thought. "You're upset because I didn't come to you, aren't you?"

"You could have come to me." Nikolas replied after a long moment. "I would have helped you."

Sam sighed. Things were good but still a little shaky between Nikolas and his brother, and one of the things that could tilt the scales either way regarding how they felt about each other was her. She and Lucky had a really great friendship going on, he understood her in ways most of the people in her life couldn't. But Nikolas was family, and Sam coming into his life took away a kind of loneliness he hadn't realized was there until he had her, and the same went for Sam. They adored each other and sometimes that bond brought out Nikolas' jealousy. "I know you would have, but Lucky was pissed at his Dad and we both just wanted a break. He was there and he understood. You would have tried helping but you would have been very logical about it and the last thing I wanted was logic. I wanted to be reckless." She sighed softly. "I'm sorry if I hurt you Niky."

Nikolas shrugged as if it didn't matter but it did. "It's aright. Like you said it was over a year ago."

"But I never told you I was sorry." Sam said. "You must have been worried and scared too."

"I knew Lucky would take care of you." Nikolas admitted. "But yes, I was."

"I'm sorry." Sam said sincerely. The two rode back towards the stables in silence. When Sam was tired of the stillness she looked at Nikolas and smiled as she said, "So, I can tell Emily you have a crush on her right?"

"Sam!" Nikolas barked out.

Sam laughed and then took off towards the stables with her beloved cousin on her tail.

From the trees a man watched as the two cousins rode back towards the house. The boy rode a lot and on occasion alone. The girl was hardly ever alone on the island. He would have to keep watching, though not for to much longer, he was running out of time.


	7. Chapter 7

His hands gently roamed her body as their lips pressed together and their tongues explored. They had the house to themselves because Tony had the little ones and her mom was working late at the hospital. Zander had come over with pizza and a movie to keep her company and Carly had been grateful. She didn't really like being totally alone. They'd cuddled on the couch, eating pizza, drinking soda, and watching the movie for most of the night. They talked a little once the movie was over and then Zander leaned in and kissed her. She eagerly returned his kiss she even deepened it. After that everything happened in a weird fast action slow motion kind of way. One moment she's sitting on the couch with Zander making out and the next she's lying on her bed with him shirtless and on top of her.

Carly felt him pulling her shirt over her head, his hands on her skin, his breath against her neck, but her thoughts hadn't quite caught up to their actions. She'd never had sex before and she was finding this all very exciting and very scary. Her heart pounded in her chest as she reached for the button and zipper on Zander's jeans. Her pulse was so quick that she could hear the blood rushing through her body as he pulled her jeans off and tossed them aside. Zander kissed her shoulders, her chest, her bare stomach as his hands roamed up and down her bare legs. When they were eye to eye again she reached up and caressed his face and ran her hands through his hair.

"Are you sure?" Zander asked in a soft, husky whisper. "We can stop if you want to."

She thought about it but shook her head. She shifted under him so she could reach her nightstand. She opened it and pulled out the box of condoms that Kristina gave her. The girls had talked in length about sex and Carly found it surprising that out of the two Kristina was the much more open minded one about it. Kristina hadn't had a problem with walking into the drugstore and buying condoms, nor had she had an issue with making an appointment to see Dr. Meadows about birth control. Carly on the other hand couldn't even say the word without blushing.

"I don't want to stop." She whispered as she handed him the condoms.

Zander caressed her face and kissed her softly before shifting off the bed so he could suit up before they continued. When he was ready he moved close to her and once again began kissing and caressing her. He was very tender and caring with her, and though it was a little clumsy and awkward, it was very loving for a first time. When they were finished Carly laid in Zander's arms with her head on his chest listening to the sound of his heart beating. She smiled against his chest as his fingers danced over her skin. They were both quite content and comfortable, their bodies still entwined, well into the night.

Carly awoke the next morning to find Zander looking at her. She smiled at him as she reached up and ran her finger over his smiling lips. "Good morning."

"Really good morning." Zander said with a smirk.

Then reality hit. "Shit! Zander! My Mom's going to be home soon!"

Zander laughed as they scurried out of Carly's bed.

"It's not funny!" Carly said as she stomped her foot. "She'll kill you! She'll kill me! Or worse, she'll tell my uncle and he'll kill you!"

Once he had his underwear and jeans on Zander pulled her to him and kissed her. "Relax, it'll be alright."

She melted in his arms. "Last night was wonderful, Zander."

"I'm glad." Zander said softly as he placed a kiss on her forehead, her nose, and then her lips. "I love you Carly."

"I love you too." She replied. They held each other for a few more moments before Zander finished getting dressed. Once he was gone Carly cleaned up her room and then jumped in the shower. When she finally made it downstairs to the kitchen she jumped with a startled yelp when she saw her mom sitting at the counter with a cup of coffee. "Mama!"

"Carly!" Bobbie chuckled.

"When did you get home?" Carly asked, hoping she didn't sound too nervous.

"About twenty minutes ago." Bobbie answered as she watched her daughter pour a bowl of sugar bear cereal. "I went up to check on you but you were already in the shower. You're up early for a Saturday."

Carly said a silent prayer that her bedroom didn't smell like sex. She's opened her window and lit a scented candle but would that be enough? "Jason has a race this afternoon. I thought I'd go over to the lakehouse for moral support. You know, give Kris someone to make faces at while Alexis rants about risky and dangerous hobbies."

Bobbie laughed. "Carly, be nice."

"I love Alexis you know that." Carly replied as she plopped down at the table, and then hoped her mother didn't notice her tiny twinge, she was still a little sore. "But she's totally neurotic and you know that too."

"She worries about her girls." Bobbie said as she got up and walked over to her daughter. She kissed Carly on top of her head and smiled. "There's nothing wrong with that."

Carly smiled up at her mom. After finishing her breakfast Carly headed over to the lakehouse. She really needed to talk to Kristina about what happened. As she walked up onto the porch she could already head Alexis. She chuckled and shook her head before knocking.

"Come in!" Kristina called out. "Please!"

"Hey." Carly greeted as she walked in.

"Oh, there's another one who doesn't see how racing a motorcycle is dangerous." Alexis said as she threw her hands up in the air.

Carly looked at Alexis who was standing near the couch while Kristina reclined on it. "Um, it's not like we're the ones doing it. We're just watching."

"You should be trying to convince Jason not…"

Kristina cut her sister off. "He really hates it when people try to "convince" him he shouldn't do stuff."

"There are safer, more productive hobbies he could have." Alexis said.

"Stamp collecting." Carly said as she plopped down beside her best friend.

Kristina shook her head. "Paper cuts."

"Needle point?" Carly offered up.

"Sharp implements." Kristina replied.

"Knitting?" Carly asked with a straight face.

Kristina shook her head again. "He could poke his eye out with the knitting needles."

Alexis rolled her eyes. "Ha ha, you two are soooo funny." She said sarcastically. When the girls started laughing she bopped them both on the head with a throw pillow. "You know spectators have been know to get hurt…"

"Alexis." Kristina groaned. "Stop. We'll be fine and Jason will be fine. It's just an amateur race, it's fun, and I think you should come."

"Not going to happen." Alexis replied with a shake of her head.

"I wanna go!" Sam said as she came bouncing down into the living room with her cat hot on her heels. "Where are you going?"

"Jason's in an amateur bike race." Kristina answered.

Alexis shook her head. "So not going to happen."

"Please Mom?" Sam asked as she plopped down on Carly's lap. The little girl smiled when Carly wrapped her arms around her to give her a little hug.

"No." Alexis repeated. "And don't argue with me about it."

Sam pouted. "Oh come on Mom, I wanna watch Jason race, it'll be cool! He's got an awesome bike!"

"Samantha." Alexis warned.

"Tell ya what half pint." Carly said as she cuddled the girl while cutting her off so she wouldn't get into trouble. Or get them in trouble by letting it slip that Jason had taken the girl out on his awesome bike. "When we get back you me and Kris will do something together, ok?"

"When did you start taking her side?" Sam asked in a huff.

"I'm not taking her side." Carly replied.

"Are too." Sam said as she lightly threw her head back against Carly's chest in a bratty little revenge move.

"Anything you want, we'll do, I promise." Carly continued as if the girl hadn't done that.

Sam pouted. "Not fair, but ok."

After Sam disappeared into the back of the house Alexis sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Please do not give that child any ideas. I really don't want her to develop an affinity for motorcycles. I'm already on the look out for premature gray hairs because of her adventurous nature."

Kristina managed to hide her amusement but Carly snickered, which earned her another bop from the throw pillow. After teasing Alexis for a few more minutes the girls made their way out to Kristina's car. They were going to meet Jason at the racetrack just outside of town.

"Ok, so what's on you mind?" Kristina asked while she drove.

"How did you know I had something on my mind?" Carly asked.

Kristina glanced at her friend quickly and then said, "You have this vibe about you. There's something different about you, I guess."

Carly's eyes went wide. "You mean you can tell?"

"Tell what?" Kristina asked.

"Yeah, tell what?" Sam asked as she popped out of her hiding place in the back seat.

It was a good thing Kristina was at a red light or she'd have lost control of the car for a moment. Both she and Carly yelled, "SAM!"

"Sam what the hell are you doing here?" Carly asked as she twisted around to look at the girl was now wedged between the front seats.

"I wanted to see Jason race." Sam answered and then asked, "What can Krissy tell about you? You look normal to me."

Kristina could see Carly starting to blush. "Samantha, you're Mom's going to have a fit! I can't believe you did this!"

Sam frowned when her aunt turned the car around. "Hey, what are you doing?"

"I'm taking your little butt home." Kristina answered.

"Aww, come on Krissy, please!" Sam begged.

Kristina shook her head. "No, Sam."

Sam threw herself back against the back seat. "You're no fun."

"Come on Krissy." Carly said after watching Sam's disappointment. "I'll take the blame. Let her come along. We'll call Alexis so she doesn't worry. If we go all the way back we'll miss Jason's race."

Kristina looked between the two pleading faces and then sighed. "My sister is going to kill me."

When they arrived at the track all three girls were surprised to see Lila and Reggie there, but their surprise turned into delight. As Kristina had suspected Alexis was less then happy to find out that Sam was with them, but thankfully Lila smoothed things over, promising that she'd look after Sam and keep her safe. Not even Alexis could say no to Lila Q.

Sam was pretty wired when they finally got home. Not only did she love the races, she adored Lila and had spent all her time with her. After the race Lila had treated everyone to dinner and dessert, so Sam was pretty amped on chocolate coconut cake and Shirley Temples. She chattered none stop from the time she, Carly and Kristina got into Kristina's car, until the three of them walked into the lakehouse. The only reason she stopped was because Alexis was standing there to greet them with her arms across over her chest and her best ticked off mother look firmly etched on her face.

"Well," Alexis began as she glared at each of the girls. "I hope you three had fun today because you're all grounded."

Sam didn't seem to shocked. She'd seen that coming, but the older two girls looked like they'd just seen pink squirrels in the living room. "You can't do that!" Carly protested.

"I called your mother, so yes, I can." Alexis replied.

"I'm eighteen!" Kristina complained.

"Yes, you are, which means you should have known to bring her straight back here after you discovered your little stowaway." Alexis told her sister. Then she looked down at her daughter. "And you young lady, what on earth were you thinking?"

"That I wanted to see Jason race." Sam said honestly and with a shrug of her shoulders.

Alexis shook her head as she pointed in the direction of the bedrooms. "Go to your room, Samantha."

After getting a lecture from Alexis, Kristina and Carly were back in Kristina's car so she could take her friend home. When she noticed Carly straining to look into the back seat she asked, "What are you doing?"

"Checking for Sam." Carly said, and then straightened back up in her seat. Now that she was sure they were alone she took several deep breaths before spitting out what she'd wanted to say all day long. "I slept with Zander last night."

Kristina's eyes went wide. "Really?" Carly nodded. Kristina pulled over so they could talk. "Are you ok?"

Carly gave her friend a soft smile. "Yeah, I'm ok. I don't regret anything if that's what you're wondering."

"That's important, Carly." Kristina said as she looked at her friend. "If there were any regrets then you would have known it was too soon. What happened?"

"We were watching a movie, just hanging out, we started kissing and then it just went from there." Carly explained.

Kristina's eyes went a little wide. "You were at home?"

Carly nodded. "No one was home. He even got to stay all night because my Mom was working."

"You were safe, right?" Kristina asked.

Again Carly nodded. "Of course I was."

"Good." Kristina said and then gave her friend a reassuring and caring smile. The girls talked the whole way back to the brownstone and for quite some time outside the brownstone.

As Carly walked into her home she thought about how much her life had changed over the last several years and it made her smile. Even with all the bad, her life was good, and she was happy. She just hoped that she didn't have any major crisis while Kristina was gone because Jason would be with her, which pretty much left her with Sam and Zander to talk too. Carly adored Sam but she was only twelve, and she couldn't talk about Zander to Zander. She could talk to her mom, but she didn't want her thinking bad about her because she'd slept with Zander. It had taken her a lot of time to deal with it, but Carly cared a great deal about what her mother thought of her, and the last thing Carly wanted was for Bobbie to think bad of any reason.


	8. Chapter 8

"I'm glad everything's going well." Alexis said as she sat on the couch with her feet up on the coffee table. Kristina called her every night once she was back in her hotel room, as per their agreement. She would tell Alexis about her day and checked to make sure Alexis, Sam, and the baby were all right. Some calls were easier than others before some nights Alexis could hear the homesickness in Kristina's voice, and on other nights Kristina could hear just how tired her pregnant sister was. "I can't wait for you to get home. Jax has gone completely insane."

Kristina laughed over the line. "What's he done now?"

"He bought out the baby boutique on Grafton Street." Alexis chuckled as she rubbed her every growing belly. "We had an ultrasound yesterday and on our way home we stopped and finally picked out furniture, which won't be delivered until after the painters come tomorrow to paint the nursery. While we were there we looked around for a while and had fun picking out things we liked. So what does he do? He goes back today and buys it all. He came home tonight with so many bags he couldn't get through the front door!"

Kristina was laughing harder now.

"To make matters worse." Alexis laughed as well. "He doesn't want Sam feeling left out so he raided the toy store three blocks over. She has so many new toys and games she doesn't know where to start."

Tonight was one of those nights where Kristina's voice betrayed how homesick sick she was. "Sounds like I'm missing a lot. I should be home in time to help set up, though. Lois wanted to add a few more shows but I told her no. I want to be there for the last few weeks of your pregnancy and be there when my new niece or nephew is born."

"Good, I'm glad, we miss you." Alexis said. She and her sister talked for a few more minutes before hanging up. Then she spent far longer then usual getting up off the couch. She was only a few weeks from her due date and she was showing it. After putting the cordless phone back on it's cradle Alexis waddled over to the door and out onto the deck. "Sammie, baby, it's getting cold it's time to come in."

Sam was sitting on the loveseat wrapped in a blanket; her head titled back as she looked up at the clear star speckled sky. In her lap was Artemis, her cat, who grumbled at Alexis for disturbing their peace. "It's not to bad, Mom, it's nice out."

"It's getting late baby." Alexis said as she smiled softly. There was always something so sweet and serene in Sam's face and eyes when she was stargazing. As she watched her little girl her mind flashed back to a small caretaker cottage on the outskirt of the Briarton Griggs property in the hills of New Hampshire. It was summer break and there was hardly anyone on campus, no one to miss her as she met him there. It was her birthday, she was sixteen, and he planned a romantic picnic under the stars. It had been her first time, and she could still remember lying on the blanket in the grass, in his arms, breathing in the pine trees and gazing up at the stars.

"Uncle showed me all these cool maps today." Sam was saying, unknowingly drawing her mother's attention out of the past. "Star charts, he called them, and he showed me how to use them. He said that when we go out onto the ocean to sail that we'll use the stars to navigate."

"He did, did he?" Alexis asked as she shook herself from her memories and sat beside her daughter.

Sam nodded as she snuggled into her mother's side. "He said that when I'm older I could sail anywhere I want to go and use the stars to get me there."

"And where do you want to go my little adventurer?" Alexis asked as she wrapped her arms around her baby.

The little dark haired, dark eyed, girl with the gleam in her eyes replied simply, "Everywhere."

A part of Alexis loved this side of Sam, the free spirit, the desire to explore, the adventurous heart; and yet it also scared the hell out of her. Those were things she wasn't, thing she couldn't fully understand. Things she knew she'd have a hard time dealing with, especially when Sam got older. Alexis sat there for a while longer just holding her little girl, wishing her to stay a little girl forever, until Sam suddenly yelped in surprise and pulled away from her.

"Sammie?" Alexis asked in concern as Sam stared at her with wide eyes. "Baby, what's wrong?"

"I felt something." Sam replied as she pointed to her mother's swollen belly.

Alexis laughed. "That was the baby, Sammie, it moved." She took her daughter's hand and placed it where she could feel the baby kicking. She smiled brightly, as Sam's eyes got even bigger, and then as a smile grew on Sam's face as well.

"Why is she doing that?" Sam asked as she moved her hand to follow the baby's movements.

"She, or He, is saying hi to her, or his, big sister." Alexis replied. Sam always referred to the baby as a her and Alexis was starting to wonder if maybe they should find out for sure, because if this baby was a boy she was going to have a very disappointed daughter. "Or they're playing soccer, maybe both."

Sam laughed. "That must feel so weird."

Alexis laughed as well. "Kind of."

"Did I kick a lot?" Sam asked as dark eyes looked up and met a matching pair of dark eyes.

"You did." Alexis answered as she pulled Sam close to her again. "You were very active. The only way to settle you down was to read too you."

Sam smiled. "You read to your belly?"

Alexis chuckled and tapped Sam on the nose. "I read to my baby."

"Did you eat weird food when you were pregnant with me?" Sam asked as she shifted so she could put her ear against her mother's stomach.

"I don't eat weird food." Alexis protested.

Sam sat up and looked at her mother with a look that said she couldn't believe she just said that. "You put mustard on your reese cups and tarter sauce on your beagles."

Alexis laughed as she pulled Sam back down so she had her head on her stomach again. "Ok, I guess those are a little weird." She thought about it, calling up the memories that were no longer as painful as they once were, and then said, "Ketchup on sourdough pretzels, and I put onions on everything."

They sat out on the deck for a little while longer while Alexis answered Sam's questions and told her stories about when she was pregnant with her. After she put Sam to bed Alexis went to her own room and after writing in the journal she'd started for the new baby, and in Sam's, she pulled out an old box full of hidden memories. Along with a lock of Sam's hair, there was a little silver bell that said Baby's First Christmas on it, the tennis bracelet she'd thought was her birthday gift that night until she found out what her real gift had been, and a class ring on a chain that he had put around her neck with the promise that he wouldn't be away for to long. While he was gone she'd found out she was pregnant and her father had swooped down like some terrifying bird and whisked her away. She didn't know if he'd ever come back while she was away, but she did know that by the time she came back he was gone for good.

Sam hadn't asked her about her father and Alexis, right or wrong, wasn't jumping in to tell her about him. Jax was Sam's father. He loved her, he was good to her, and he would always be there for her. But, if Sam asked, Alexis would tell her and maybe even give her daughter her father's ring. Until then it would remain in her little box of memories and mementos. Alexis wasn't sure why she'd been thinking about him lately, or why of all people Mikkos was on her mind. The only thing she could come up with was that it was because of Jax. She'd been watching him preparing to be a father and it made her think about how Sam's father had missed out on that, and it made her wonder if Mikkos had been around while her mother was pregnant with her. She had faded memories of him being there when her mother was pregnant with Kristina, she had faded memories of him being in their home and being happy. When she closed her eyes and really allowed herself to remember she could remember his arms around her, his smile, his laugh, but her memories were tainted by the man he'd become after her mother's death. Without her mother and their love Mikkos had given in to the madness of it all. A brilliant man turned into what boiled down to a comic book villain thanks in no small part to the madness and insanity of his position and his marriage. A prince to a kingdom that didn't exist with a wife as vile and evil as Helena, its no wonder her father was so cold and so easily lost in the insanity.

"Alexis?" Jax said softly, not waiting to startle her. He'd been calling her name for a good couple minutes. He finally had to walk right over to her and kneel down in front of her.

"Hmm?" Alexis replied as she finally looked up. Seeing Jax right there in front of her she suddenly jerked back to the present. "Oh!"

Jax smiled lovingly at her. "You were awfully far away. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Alexis replied. "Just lost in thought."

The handsome blonde Aussie moved to sit beside her on the loveseat and looked down into the box on her lap. "What's that?"

Alexis looked down into the box as she said, "What I had left of Sam before I had Sam herself back."

He put his arm around her and pulled her close to his side. He reached in and picked up the lock of dark hair tied in a yellow ribbon. "Is this Sam's? It's so dark."

"The nurse clipped it for me." Alexis said softly. "Her hair was jet black when she was born, and her eyes, they looked like perfect pieces of onyx. They've lighted a little since then."

Jax placed the lock of hair back in the box and watched as Alexis closed it gently. While she slipped into the closest to put it away he undressed and changed. He was waiting for her in bed and when she joined him. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close and tight. Of course Jax was curious about Alexis' past, about Sam, about Sam's birth father, but he never asked. He figured that if Alexis wanted him to know she would tell him.

Two days later in a hotel room in Memphis Kristina was double-checking to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything. When she heard something behind her she assumed that it was Jason. "Is the car waiting?"

"Indeed Princess it is."

The voice wasn't Jason's and the words were in Russian. Kristina spun around to see a man standing there she'd ever seen before. Kristina screamed, but the man was quick. He grabbed her, she struggled but he was stronger. She screamed again as a cloth was placed over her nose and mouth. She tried not to breathe in the vapors on the cloth but in the end she succumbed and everything went dark.

Lois was on her cell phone as she made her way to Kristina's hotel room. The car was waiting to take them to the airport and she wasn't answering her phone. Just as she was about to pound on the door, thinking that teenagers alone in a hotel room were doing what teenagers alone in a hotel room would do, the door across the hall swung open and Jason staggered out. "Oh my god! Jason!"

"Kris." Jason said groggily as he held his hand to the gash on his head that was bleeding. "Where's Kris?"

Lois used her keycard to open the door to Kristina's room. The room was empty and there was no sign of Kristina. Her things were just where she'd left them, but she was gone.

The phone rang and Alexis groaned. She looked at the clock on her bedside table and cursed whoever was on the other end of the line. "Hello?" As soon as she heard Ned's voice she was wide-awake. "What? Missing! What the hell do you mean my sister's missing?"

Jax was just as awake as Alexis was now. "What's going on? Alexis?"

She turned to look at him with tears welling in her big frightened brown eyes. "Kristina's gone."

There were very few people who had the number to the private phone in Stefan's bedroom. So few that he knew as he reached for it that it had to be one of his sisters. "Hello?"

"Stefan." Alexis said, her fear lacing her voice.

Stefan sat up quickly. The tone of his sister's voice sent a chill through his blood. "Alexis, what's wrong?"

"It's Kristina." Alexis told him with a sniffle. "Someone's taken her."

"Taken her?" Stefan asked as the chill turned to fire. "What happened?"

Alexis told him what she'd found out from Ned. That the security detail and Jason were all rendered unconscious and that when Lois went to Kristina's hotel room she was gone. She told him that Lois called the local police who found nothing in the room, and that no one saw anyone taking her. Stefan listened while he went to check on Nikolas. The boy was sleeping soundly in his bed.

"Sam?" Stefan asked as he made his way down to his office.

"She's fine." Alexis answered. "She's in her bed sound asleep." There was a pause before Alexis voiced her worse fear, "Stefan, was it Helena?"

That had been his first thought as well. "I do not know, Alexis, but I assure you I will find out. I will find our sister, Alexis, I promise. Let me take care of this. This strain and stress is not good for you or your unborn child."

Alexis sniffled. "I know. I just don't understand, Stefan, who would want to take Kristina if it isn't Helena?"

"I don't know, Alexis, but whoever it was will wish for death before I'm done with them." Stefan told her as he reached his desk. "I'm going to get on this right now and I will call when I have something. She'll be home soon, I promise."

After hanging up with Stefan Alexis went back to Sam's room to check on her again. Her mind was wheeling, unable to wrap its self around the idea of someone snatching her sister. Her heart was hurting knowing that her sister was in trouble. When she went back to the living room she saw Jax on the phone. He was talking to a contact he had in Memphis, someone who could help out in the investigation. She walked over to him and he pulled her to him as he finished up his call.

"I knew I shouldn't have let her do this." Alexis said as Jax helped her sit down. "I knew I should have made her stay here and start college."

"She's an adult, Alexis." Jax said as he held her in his arms. "You couldn't have stopped her. This is what she wanted. No one could have seen something like this happening."

Tears welled in Alexis' eyes and rolled quickly down her cheeks. "That's what I don't understand, Jax, why is this happening? Why would someone take Kristina?"

"Is the princess secure?" The tall man asked the person on the other end of his phone. "Good. She was given a sedative that will keep her asleep for the entire trip. Yuri will meet you when you land. I will be following shortly." From his dark car the man watched the lakehouse for a few minutes before making another call. "Are you in position? Good. You know what to do."


	9. Chapter 9

With the stress of Kristina being missing Alexis, with Jax's urging, made an appointment to see Dr. Meadows just to make sure that everything with her and the baby was all right. Dr. Meadows did an exam and ultrasound and much to Alexis' relief said that everything was fine. Her blood pressure was up a little, but that was to be expected with the situation. The doctor told her that she needed to try and relax as much as possible, and to have faith that the people looking for Kristina would find her.

So far no one had been able to find a damn thing. It was as if Kristina just disappeared into thin air. As she stepped out of Dr. Meadows office Alexis reached into her bag to find her cell phone so she could call Jax. She wanted to let him know she was all right, as well as ask if he had anything new. The sound of his voice when he picked up helped her to relax.

"So how was your check up?" Jax asked.

Alexis smiled as she walked down the hallway. "The baby and I are fine. Of course she told me to avoid as much stress as possible, which isn't going to happen until we've found Kristina. Any word?"

"Nothing new." Jax said sadly. "But we're still working on this."

"I know you are." Alexis replied. "I'm heading home. See you there?"

"Already on my way." Jax said. "Love you."

Alexis smiled softly as she stepped onto the elevator. She gave Bobbie, who was at the nurses' station a wave as the doors began to close, while still speaking to Jax. "Love you too." She hadn't noticed the man on the elevator as she'd stepped on; he'd been standing in the back corner out of sight. She didn't notice him as she hung up her cell and dropped it back in her bag. She finally noticed him when a hand went over her mouth and she felt a sudden prick in her upper arm. She felt her whole body relax, as she grew sleepy. She could feel herself sag into the stranger's arms as she looked at him, her eyes full of rage with a touch of fear.

"Do not worry, Princess." The man told her in Russian. "The drug will not harm your child. Rest now."

When Jax got home he wasn't to surprise to see that Alexis wasn't home yet. Ever since they'd found out she was pregnant Alexis had become an especially cautious driver, which drove Sam insane. He smiled to himself as he thought back to a few nights ago when they'd all gone out for ice cream. Sam was sitting in the back seat complaining about Alexis' driving and suddenly announced, "Mom! Come on! That lady just passed us up and she's like one hundred and two walking with a walker!" For the sake of peace in his family, having a pre-tween daughter and pregnant "wife" had Jax swimming in female hormones; he'd driven them home that evening so his Davis Girls wouldn't strangle each other.

His bright smile quickly faded when he walked through the front door of the lakehouse. Ingrid, Sam's nanny, was slumped, unconscious on the couch. He ran to her and checked for a pulse. "Ingrid!" He tried to wake her while he looked up and yelled, "Sam! Sam! Samantha!" When there was no reply Jax left the nanny where she was and tore through the house looking for his daughter, she wasn't there or on the grounds. He did manage to find the guards Stefan had hired; they were all knocked out as well. He went back to Ingrid and shook her. "Ingrid! Where's Sam! What happened?"

The nanny groaned and reached for the back of her head where she'd been hit. When she was a little more with it she moaned, "Sam?"

"She's gone Ingrid." Jax repeated. "What happened?"

Fear quickly filled the young woman's eyes. Her head was pounded as she held it in her hands. "I was cleaning up after helping Sam with her project for school. She was taking it to her room. Someone hit me from behind."

Jax could see that the young woman was struggling. He jumped to his feet and called 911. Then he realized he'd been home for some time and Alexis wasn't back yet. His heart stopped. His hand shook as he dialed her cell number. There was no answer.

"The Princess and her daughter are secured, Sergei." A young woman said in Russian as she came out of the back room of the private jet.

The man smiled warmly. "Good, Anya, thank you. We will be departing as soon as Andreli returns."

"You're face?" The young woman asked as she touched a rather nasty cut on the man cheek. "Shall I tend to this?"

Sergei chuckled. "The tiny Princess put up a fight." He patted her hand and smile. "I am fine. Thank you."

Anya nodded. "Do we wait on Boris as well?"

"No, he will follow later." Sergei replied as he poured himself a glass of water. "When we land see that Princess Natasha is handled carefully. We do not want to endanger her or the unborn child."

"Of course, Sergei." Anya replied with a nod of her head.

Several minutes later a large man walked into the cabin of the jet carrying an unconscious Nikolas. "Put him with the princesses. Once he is secure we take off." Sergei said. The man nodded and carried Nikolas into the back where Alexis and Sam where. Minutes later the jet was on the runway and then in the air.

Across town Jax was barging into Stefan's study at Windermere. He crossed the room in several long strides and grabbed the older man by the lapels of his suit jacket. "Where are they Stefan? Where is my family?"

Though he was startled Stefan didn't show it. He pushed Jax away from him and then straightened his jacket. "What are you talking about?"

"Alexis! Sam! They're gone!" Jax yelled. "Where the hell are they, Stefan?"

it felt like a knife to his heart but before Stefan had time to react to the news of his sister and niece disappearing one of his men came running into the room. "Master Stefan! The prince! He's gone!"


	10. Chapter 10

There was a whistle in the wind that made Alexis snuggle deeper into the mattress and down comforter, but as she did so she slowly began to realize that there was something wrong with the feel of it. The mattress wasn't right, the comforter wasn't right, the smell in the room wasn't right, and that odd whistle in the wind wasn't right. As she came too a little more Alexis suddenly remembered what happened. She'd been attacked in the elevator at General Hospital. There'd been a man, he'd injected her with something, and then everything went dark. Alexis sat bolt upright and her hand went right to her stomach. She closed her eyes tightly as fear washed over her. "Kick Mommy little one. Come on, let me know you're alright." The baby complied and gave her a good strong kick. "Oh thank god."

With that off her mind Alexis finally took a moment to look around and figure out where she was. The room was huge. There was a stone fireplace across from the four-poster bed she was in. Heavy drapes over the widows to her left. The décor, to her surprise, was exactly her taste. She carefully turned to drop her legs over the side of the bed. She had a slight headache but other then that she felt all right. Putting her hand to her head she closed her eyes for a moment.

"Oh thank god your awake."

Alexis' head snapped up at the voice and tears quickly welled in her eyes. "Kristina!"

The redhead rushed over to her sister and threw her arms around her. "I was starting to worry. I didn't know if what they gave you was something that would harmed the baby or not."

"We're fine." Alexis said as she held her sister as close as she could get her. As if to confirm what Alexis said the baby kicked. "You're the one we were worrying about. Kristina, what the hell is going on? Where are we? How long have you been here?"

Kristina pulled away a little. "I don't know what's going on or where we are. All I know is that some man snuck into my hotel room in Memphis, put something over my nose and mouth, and when I woke up I was in a bedroom here." Then she pulled something out of her shirt. "And I was wearing my medallion."

Alexis' hand went up to her own chest and sure enough there was her medallion under her shirt. "What the hell?"

"The kids aren't wearing one." Kristina told her sister.

Before what Kristina said really clicked Alexis said, "They don't have theirs yet. They'll get them on their eighteenth birthdays. Stefan got overly excited and gave you yours early. Cassadine tradition says that the medallion is presented on…" She finally stopped rambling when it finally sunk in. "Sam and Nikolas are here?"

Kristina nodded. "The bedrooms on either side of this one. I'm across the hall. Alexis, they're all decorated like they were meant for us."

Alexis rushed out of the room and to the room to the left of hers. Nikolas was asleep on a large bed, and just as Kristina said it fit his taste. The next room was Sam's and it to was set up as if she'd decorated it herself. Alexis rushed over to her sleeping daughter and gathered her up in her arms. As she cradled Sam in her arms she looked up at her sister. "You've been here for days, Kristina, have you seen or talk to anyone?"

"The servants." Kristina answered. "They won't tell me what's going on, but they have been treating me like I was the lady of the house or something" The redhead sat beside her sister as she added, "They keep calling me princess."

"Now that I think about it the man who snatched me called me by title too." Alexis said with a frown. She thought about it for a few minutes and then said, "Well, at least we know it's not Helena. Her people would never address us that way and she wouldn't go out of her way to retrieve our medallions." She shivered. "They where in our home, they went through our things." Then she sighed as she asked, "Have you had a chance to look around? Where are we?"

Kristina shook her head. "I haven't been out of this wing, but I have looked outside, we're not in Port Charles any more Toto."

Alexis continued to hold Sam and caress her baby's hair. "What have you heard? What are the servants speaking?"

"Russian, Greek, and English." Kristina answered. "One or two spoke something I haven't heard before."

"Well that doesn't tell us much." Alexis said with a sigh. Her thoughts were going to fast to focus on, her emotions were on a roller coaster, but she was trying like hell to sort this all out. "Whatever this is it's all Cassadine." Then she had a thought. "Stefan? Is Stefan here?"

Kristina shook her head. "Just us and the kids."

Alexis grew quiet as she thought this all through. Finally after what seemed like forever she told her sister, "Go wake up Nikolas. I want to have a look around and I don't want any of you out of my sight."

Kristina nodded and left the room.

"Sammie." Alexis said gently as she ran her fingertips down her daughter's cheeks. "Sammie, baby, you need to wake up for Mommy. Come on my love it's time to wake up." Alexis continued to caress Sam's face, placing kisses on her face, and patting her thighs and bottom. Slowly Sam began to come around. "That's it Sammie. Wakey wakey."

"gowayfivemoremintuesiwannasl eepyousuck." Sam mumbled as she tried to get out of her mother's arms and snuggle back into the bed.

Alexis couldn't help but chuckle. "I know you want to sleep baby but you need to wake up, Sammie. Mommy really needs you to wake up."

Sam's big brown eyes fluttered open and she frowned at her mom. At first the frown was because she'd been woken up, but then it all started to come back to Sam and the frown was from her confusion. Then the panic and fear set in. "Mommy?"

"It's alright baby." Alexis said as she cuddled Sam.

Sam sat up and rubbed her face as she remembered what happened. "Someone grabbed me coming out of my bedroom." She gasped and looked up wide eyes. "Ingrid! Did they hurt Ingrid?"

"I don't know baby." Alexis replied as she cuddled her little girl a little more tightly.

"Aunt Alexis!" Nikolas said as he came into the room and straight over to his aunt and cousin.

Alexis put her arm around her nephew and hugged him. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, a little groggy but other wise fine." Nikolas answered.

Then she looked down at Sam. "What about you baby? How do you feel?"

Sam took a moment to think it over before saying, "I'm ok."

"Good." Alexis said with a nod. "Now lets see if we can figure out where we are."

Back in Port Charles Jax was waiting on the docks. Stefan had gone into a kind of single-minded obsessive mode that wouldn't allow Jax in to help him look for their family. Which was probably for the best because the two men had such different styles, and because they knew so little about what was going on that coming at it from two different angles might be more helpful.

"Hey little brother." Jerry said as he came up to Jax and embraced him.

"I'm glad you came so quickly, Jerry." Jax replied. "I need to find my girls."

"Of course I came." Jerry said as he and Jax stood face to face. "And we will find them."

Jax nodded and then quickly filled Jerry in on what they knew though it wasn't much. He explained that Kristina was the first one taken, that Alexis was taken from the hospital, Sam from their home, and Nikolas from the stables on Spoon Island. He gave him as many details as they had, and then said, "It was professional all the way. I think it was Helena."

Jerry shook his head. "No. It wasn't Helena."

"How do you know that?" Jax asked, his voice raising. "You can't know that for sure, Jerry, and she'd be sick and twisted enough to do it! She tried taking Sam once before!"

"I know for certain it wasn't Helena." Jerry reassured his brother as he put his hand on the younger man's shoulder.

Jax glared at him. "How do you know that for sure?"

Jerry smirked. "Because for the last two years Helena has been in a nursing home in Papua New Guinea suffering from stroke like symptoms."

"What?" Jax asked as he blinked. "Wait, stroke like… Jerry what did you do?"

Jerry shrugged. "Mum called me. She was concerned about Alexis and Sam. I took care of it."

"Are you sure she's still there?" Jax asked after several minutes of processing what his brother had just told him.

Jerry nodded. "I checked on my way here. She's still in her private room over looking the best view, unable to speak, and drooling happily while clenching and unclenching the fist on her right side, since her left doesn't work so well."

"Jerry!" Jax chastised.

"What?" Jerry said innocently. "She's fine, Jax, there shouldn't be any lasting effects."

"How?" Jax said with a shake of his head.

Jerry smirked again. "That's for me to know little brother and you not to worry about. I'm not going to let the old cow threaten our family."

Jax sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. "Then I'm completely at a loss. I have no idea who has them. We need to find them Jerry. Alexis only has a few weeks left on her pregnancy."

"We will find them. Now, come on." Jerry said with a jerk of his head. "Lets go have a look at the lakehouse. It's a place to start."

Meanwhile Stefan was at Windermere barking orders at his men while speaking to someone on the phone. He had recourses that the police did not and he planned on using every single one. He would find his family and he would punish whoever dared to take them. He was so caught up in doing what he was doing he didn't notice that one of his men was watching him carefully, and also being mindful of just how much information he was getting. Stefan just had to wait and Boris was going to make sure he did.


	11. Chapter 11

There was something seriously off about this abduction. Kristina had been right about the servants, as they made their way through what she now knew to be an old, European palace, the servants did in fact treat them as if they were in fact the ladies of the house. No one said a word as Alexis, Kristina, Sam and Nikolas explored, looking for any kind of clue as to where they were, who had taken them, and a way to contact someone. The women they passed curtseyed, the men bowed slightly and the guards, Alexis would know Cassadine guards when she saw them, nodded their heads in acknowledgement. It was almost as if they were guests or even residents rather then captives.

Even though Alexis was bothered by the way the people they passed acted, what was really bothering her were the flashes of memory she was having as they made their way to the grand staircase. As she'd walked through the halls, carefully checking rooms and heading towards where she hoped was a way out, Alexis would flash to another time but the same place. At first it was sounds. She remembered the sound of heels and soft laughter echoing in the long stone walled, wood floored hallway. She remembered her mother's voice drifting up from somewhere downstairs. She remembered the sound of a man's voice, familiar and yet not, as it called out for her in a happy, sing song tone as if perhaps she and he were playing a game.

The first visual memory came when they found a large room, a child's play room, updated for the presence of a twelve-year-old girl and fourteen year old boy, but with a few old things that belonged to a much younger child, a small girl. In that room Alexis saw herself as a child, perhaps four or five years old, playing with two beautiful Borzoi hounds. When she stopped at a window to look out over the front courtyard she flashed to sitting in the back of an old car, a dark gray Rolls Royce with gray interior, with her mother. When she closed her eyes she could hear the sound of the tires crushing the gravel as the car pulled up to the front entrance, the sound of someone walking on the gravel, she could see the door being opened by a servant, she could feel herself getting out of the car, taking a few steps and then being swept up into a man's arms.

When she reached the bottom of the grand staircase another memory hit Alexis so hard she had to sit down, with her sister's help. Kristina had seen her swag on her feet and was quick to easy Alexis onto the step. But Alexis didn't hear a word Kristina said, she was totally caught up in the sudden memory that played out before her like a vivid scene from a movie.

_He was a day late and she was starting to worry. She sat on the bottom step and watched the door, wondering where he was. Was he angry with her? She couldn't remember being naughty, but maybe she had been. Maybe he'd found out that she'd been cross with Johann and stomped his foot on purpose because he wouldn't let her ride her pony in the rain, but Mama had taken care of that. Mama had spanked her bottom and made her apologize, so he shouldn't be angry with her for that. Maybe he wasn't cross with her, maybe he'd forgotten? That thought brought tears to her big brown eyes. Had he forgotten her birthday? She was six today. Six is a big deal. How could he have forgotten she was six today!_

_With her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands she continued to watch the door. She had on her brand new dress, the pretty pale blue one with the ruffles and satin sash that Mama had bought for her in Paris, and she wanted him to see her in it. She was trying hard not to cry, and then just as she thought she would give in she heard sounds coming from outside. She held her breath as the door began to open, and let it go when he walked through the door. He held a large brightly wrapped box but she didn't care, all she cared about was him. She jumped to her feet as she cried out, "Papa!" _

_He scooped her up into his arms and spun her around. "My beautiful Natasha!"_

_She laughed as he coved her face in kisses and then she turned very serious as she placed her hands on his cheeks. "Papa, you're late!" She chastised, but then the sadness and fear shown in her eyes. "I thought you forgot me."_

_He wiped the tears from her cheesk and kissed the tip of her nose. "I could never forget you my little princess, my beautiful Natasha, my most precious child."_

There were tears running down Alexis' cheeks.

"Alexis?" Kristina called out to her sister. The fear and concern she was feeling clear in her voice.

Sam was scared and worried as well. She knelt in front of her mother, her hands gripping tightly to Alexis'. "Mom? Mommy, are you ok?"

It was the sound of Sam's voice that snapped Alexis out of her memory. She blinked to clear the tears from her eyes and then looked down into her daughter's. "I'm ok baby." She looked at her sister and nephew and saw the same scared, concerned expressions and tried to reassure them with a smile. "I'm fine."

"What just happened?" Kristina asked as she looked into her sister's eyes. "Where were you just now?"

"I know where we are." Alexis said softly.

"Where?" Kristina asked as she brushed at her sister's hair. The look in Alexis' eyes was really starting to worry her. She hadn't seen such pain, such grief, such longing in her sister's expressive brown eyes since the night she told her about their mother's murder and losing Sam.

Alexis looked her sister in eye despite her desire to look away. She knew the younger woman could read her and in that moment she both wanted her, and didn't want her to do that. "We're home."

"Home?" Kristina asked while Sam and Nikolas looked on in silence. "Alexis, I don't understand. How are we home?"

Alexis nodded. "Papa." She stopped and shook her head as if shaking the word from her mind. "Mikkos. He never stayed at the house in Sweden to long, a few days here and there, but here; here we were a family. Here he would spend weeks with us." She stood, though it was a struggle and Nikolas had to help her, and moved to the front door. She opened it and stepped out onto the stone entryway. "We're tucked into a valley surrounded by mountains and a lake. If you didn't know this place was here you would never find it."

Hearing this Sam sighed. "We're screwed."

Nikolas glared at her as he elbowed her in the side.

"Where are we Alexis?" Kristina asked as she looked at the breathtaking surroundings. There was nothing to be seen in any direction but mountains, green rolling hills, trees, a crystal lake, and the bluest blue sky she'd ever seen.

Alexis shook her head. "I don't know for sure. I was so young and I still don't remember much. I haven't had this many memory flashes since you came back into my life." She sighed as she tried to remember more. "Austria, I think, Johann he spoke German but it wasn't normal German."

"So we're what?" Kristina asked as she continued to look around. "Smack dab in the middle of the Alps?"

"Pretty much." Alexis said as she shivered. It wasn't the warmest place in the world, not even in summer, but it wasn't the coldest either. She went back inside and closed the door behind Kristina.

"You grew up here?" Sam asked as she her mother pulled her close and wrapped her arms around her. She could tell that her mom needed the comfort and Sam was glad to give it. She was feeling shaken up and scared herself.

Alexis wasn't sure how to answer that. She had, but she hadn't. "Natasha grew up here."

Sam looked even more confused. "Mom, you are Natasha."

Alexis just smiled at her little girl and hugged her a little tighter. How to explain being someone else as a young child? How to explain that when her mother died, when Kristina was taken, Natasha went away as well? After a few long minutes she broke the silence that had been building by saying, "I think it's time we start asking questions and getting some answers."

She didn't regret bringing Sam home to her family, but there were times, like now, when Carly wondered what the hell she'd gotten the poor girl into. When Jason got back to town he told her about Kristina, and then she found out about Alexis and Sam. Her mom tried to reassure her that Jax and Stefan were doing everything in their power to find them, and Carly knew that was true, but she also felt really helpless. Sam was like her little sister, Kristina was her best friend, and Alexis was like an aunt to her and they were out there somewhere with god only knows who. She had to do something, and the only thing she could think of was asking for help.

"Caroline." Luke greeted as he opened the door. Normally he would have teased her but the look on her face stopped him. "Come in. What's on your mind?"

"You know about what happened don't you?" Carly asked as she entered her uncle's home.

Luke nodded. "Alexis, Sam, Kristina and the boy are gone."

Carly spun around to face him. "If you know they're gone then why the hell are you still here?"

"I'm making chili." Luke said as he jerked a finger towards the kitchen. "You want some?"

"No I don't want some!" Carly replied in disbelief. "Why aren't you out there looking for them?"

"Count Vald's looking and so is Natasha's pretty boy." Luke answered.

Carly wanted to strangle her uncle. At least she'd be doing something. "Yeah, but they aren't you! Aren't you the self proclaimed expert on all things Cassadine?"

Luke smirked. "I know a thing or two."

"And isn't Alexis you're friend?" Carly asked. "And what about Sam? You know what she means to me! And Nikolas? He's Laura's son! Does she even know he's missing?"

"Easy Caroline." Luke said when he saw her getting really upset. "I'm not doing nothing."

Carly glared at him. "What the hell does that mean?"

"It means my dear sweet niece," Luke replied. "That you need to trust you ol' uncle Luke."

The girl eyed him carefully for several long moments before she finally said, "You're already looking for them."

"Of course I am." Luke said with a grin. "Now, how about some chili?"


	12. Chapter 12

_Little Natasha sat on her father's lap listening to the story he was telling. There was no safer place then her parents' arms so she didn't mind hearing all about the mean evil witch who kept the handsome prince from his true love, because she knew that her brave strong Papa would keep her safe. He would protect her and Mama always. _

"_The evil witch used the young boys to keep the Prince in her clutches." Mikkos said as he looked down into his daughter's dark eyes. "She poisoned the mind and corrupted the heart of the older boy, and even at a tender age the Prince could tell his son was the mirror image of the witch. Any flicker of goodness in him was buried deep inside his young soul, if any remained at all. The Prince hoped that someday his son would meet his perfect love and she would be able to find that glimmer and bring it to life, so that it would burn away the vile poison." _

_Natasha shivered at the thought of the evil woman in her father's stories. She hoped that she was not real, that her father was just the wonderful storyteller she thought he was, because it would be very sad and scary to think that a woman like that lived in the real world. "What of the younger son, Papa? Did she turn him too?" _

_Mikkos sighed dramatically. "The younger son fought. He fought with all his might to keep the witch's darkness from his soul, but only time will tell if he will succeed, or if he too will become dark and twisted."_

"_Why doesn't the Prince just sly the witch, Papa?" The little girl asked as she played with the medallion that hung from his neck. "Then he could be with his one true love and she could be Mama to his sons."_

"_Ahh my little princess." Mikkos said as he cuddled her. "It is not so easy to slay a witch." _

"Another memory?" Kristina asked her sister as they sat on a large leather couch in a huge study. The look in Alexis' eyes when they'd come into the room to find a place for her to rest had told Kristina that the room had once been their father's. It was just as she'd imagined a room of Mikkos' would look, lots of heavy dark woods, lots of leather, lots of books, and treasures. What she wasn't expecting, nor had Alexis expected, were the framed pictures set around the room. Up to date pictures of them, their family; it was more then a little unsettling.

Alexis nodded. "We would sit in here, on this couch, and he would tell me stories about the Witch." Alexis couldn't help the small smile that appeared on her lips. "I had no idea then but now I understand that the Witch in his stories was Helena. The idea of that Witch being real use to terrify me to the point where Mama would yell at him for telling me the stories."

"He was warning you." Kristina said.

Again Alexis nodded and then put her head in her hands. They tried speaking to some of the staff but no one would tell them anything more then to tell them they were there to make them comfortable and make sure they had everything they needed. Alexis was getting angry, frustrated, and tired. She finally had to give in and find a place to rest. Within minutes of them settling into the room several servants came in and set up lunch. Alexis had been leery to allow anyone to eat but then a very old man came into the room.

"Mein Gott." The elderly man said with wide, bright eyes. "It is you. Natasha, little Natasha, dear Princess you have finally come home."

He was a lot older then she remembered him to be. It had been twenty years give or take since she'd seen him. Alexis stood as he approached her. He had been head of the household staff, this house's version of Alfred, his wife it's Mrs. Lansbury. "Johann?"

The old man smiled brightly. "Yes Princess." He took her hand and bowed as he kissed it. "Welcome home."

Johann had been the one who reassured her that it was all right for them to eat. He'd also explained that there was a reason for them being there and that no one meant any harm. His son Sergei had been the one who organized their travel arrangements, and he apologized for the manner in which they were all obtained. He also apologized for any distress they were suffering, for he would never mean any harm to her and hers. The old man was absolutely enthralled by Kristina who reminded him so very much of his beloved Mistress. He had been and always would be loyal to Kristin, and mourned her loss everyday.

But even Johann refused to tell them who had them brought here, he would only say that they would find out soon, and that there was a reason. He reassured them that they would be reunited with their loved ones, and that they would be allowed to go home when all was said and done.

"This makes no sense." Alexis said quietly to Kristina as she watched Nikolas and Sam explore the room. "No one knew about this estate, I'm sure of it, no one lived here but us. Mama's gone, Mikkos is gone, and yet it's like life never stopped here."

"Perhaps Grandfather set up a trust for the estate." Nikolas offered as he came over and sat in the chair nearest his aunt.

Kristina nodded. "Nikolas could be right. You said it yourself, Alexis, this was home."

Alexis thought about it for a while and then nodded. "A trust would have kept the estate up and running. Mikkos was good at hiding such things. I mean the man had an entire island off Venezuela turned into a bunker complete with weather machine and no one was the wiser."

Sam snickered. "Luke said it was all kinda cheesy and he kept expecting Wonder Woman to show up."

Alexis rolled her eyes and continued. "I just don't understand who would bring us here and why."

"Well," Kristina said carefully. "It doesn't seem like we're in any danger, and Johann said we'd find out soon enough. There's no point is stressing over it, Alexis, that's not good for you or the baby. Besides, I'd…"

"You'd what?" Alexis asked when she noticed her sister's hesitation.

"I'd kind of like a chance to get to know our father." Kristina said softly and without meeting her sister's eyes. She wasn't sure how Alexis would take to that. "The one you're remembering."

Alexis sighed as she sat back and leaned her head against the back of the couch. She felt Sam sit beside her and snuggle close, offering her comfort. "The man I'm remembering seems like a dream. The man I knew as Natasha was not the man I knew as Alexandra. The man who lived in this house died when the witch killed the prince's beautiful songbird."

After deciding she couldn't handle being in her father's old study any more Alexis took everyone back upstairs to her bedroom. When they arrived there was a dress bag hanging on the wardrobe. Alexis walked over and unzipped the bag and blinked.

"Wow, that's really pretty." Sam said as she ducked her head under her mom's arm so she could see what was inside. "That's even more fancy than Nurses' Ball fancy."

Kristina slipped out of the room to check her own. When she got back she announced, "There's formal wear in all our rooms."

"Why would there be fancy stuff in our rooms?" Sam asked.

"Because we're expected to dress for dinner." Alexis answered. She moved over to the bed and carefully lowered herself onto it.

"Mom." Sam said with some concern. "You look really tired. Maybe you should take a nap."

Kristina nodded her head in agreement. "I'll stay with Sammie and Niky."

Alexis laid back and smiled when Sam lay beside her. "We can't stay here." She sighed. "We have to find a way to contact someone."

"We tried the phones." Nikolas reminded her. "None of them are working."

"We could try and find a car or something." Sam offered. "If we can find a car I can hotwire it."

Alexis opened her eyes and looked down at her daughter.

"What?" Sam asked. "This is an extreme circumstance. If we don't get home who's going to feed Artemis?"

"We've been kidnapped and are currently being held captive and you're worried about your cat?" Nikolas asked his cousin in disbelief.

Sam lifted her head so she could look at her cousin over her mother. "We're in an Austrian palace, my Mom grew up here, its not like we're in a cell or dungeon or anything."

"But we don't know who's brought us here or why." Nikolas argued. "This isn't an adventure Samantha."

"Sure it is, and we'll find out who's behind this. The villain always shows himself and then gives some big speech as to why he's done what he's done." Sam replied. It was a lot easier for her to believe this was simply an adventure. It was less scary that way. "Quit trying to make this more stressful Nikolas. My Mom's knocked up remember?"

"Sam." Alexis groaned. She hated it when Sam referred to her as knocked up.

Sam sighed. "Sorry, she's pregnant, remember? And getting stressed out isn't good for her or the baby."

"Alright you two knock it off." Alexis warned. She would have said more but there was a knock on the door. She sat up and looked at each face before looking towards the door. "Come in."

A young woman stepped just inside the door and curtseyed. "Princess, I've been sent to tell you that dinner will be at seven-thirty. Please let me know if you need anything. My mother will come to help you dress. I am to help Princess Kristina and Princess Samantha. Yuri will help Prince Nikolas."

"Will we be meeting our host at dinner?" Alexis asked. It was kind of freaking her out that she could slip back into the role of the noble so easily.

The young woman nodded. "Yes Princess. He will be there and is looking forward to seeing you again."

He? Again? Well, that was something. "Thank you… What is your name?"

"Anya." The girl replied.

Alexis gave a warm smile. "Thank you Anya."

Alexis did in fact take a nap and while she did so Kristina and Nikolas went exploring while Sam stayed by her mom. The girl wouldn't admit it around Kristina or Nikolas but she was scared, and she was worried. She knew that her mom would keep her as safe as she could, and that Sam would protect her mom just as fiercely, and she also knew that Jax was back home looking for them. But she was still in a strange place with so much unknown, and her mom was still very pregnant, and she was really missing her Dad. Sam was just a bundle of emotions. They had to get out of here and get home before the baby came. As Sam snuggled into her mom's side she put her hand on her mom's belly.

"Don't worry." She whispered. "Mommy will take care of us until Daddy fines us. You just gotta do your part and stay put and don't spaz."

Elsa, Johann's wife, came to help Alexis dress for dinner. Nikolas' idea about a trust was making more sense. Why else would this place have stood still in time? As they were shown into the dinning room, Alexis took note of how many places were set. There was only one extra setting, which had to be for their host. Who knew about this place? For who were her parents most trusted servants working for? All these new people she couldn't say one way or the other, but Johann and Elsa? Elsa had come with her mother from Sweden. She couldn't imagine either of them working for someone who meant them harm. Like Johann, Elsa had been startled and pleased to see how much Kristina looked liked their mother, and she gushed over her little Natasha all grown up. If she hadn't been kidnapped and brought here under such nefarious means she'd feel as if she were coming home again.

"Mom?" Sam said softly. "Are you ok?"

Alexis gave her baby a warm smile as she gently caressed her cheek. "I'm a little overwhelmed." She admitted honestly. "Being here is a little much on me. All these memories coming back to the surface, and to be honest baby, I'm really starting to miss your grandmother. We were all so happy here, Mama, me, and Mikkos."

"Yes, my little princess, we were very happy here."

Alexis's whole body froze. Her heart stopped, her breathing stopped, and then just as quickly as she'd frozen at the sound of that voice, her body spun to look at where it came from. Standing in the doorway dressed in a tux was a man, no, a ghost, she hadn't seen since the day he took her back to boarding school after Sam was born.

It came out of her mouth before she could stop it. "Papa?"

The man smiled at her as he came towards her, his arms open as if to embrace her. "My beautiful Natasha."

"You're dead." Alexis whispered.

"I defrosted and got better." Mikkos Cassadine teased gently.

The last thought Alexis had before she passed out was that she finally understood where Sam got her sense of humor.


	13. Chapter 13

Nikolas and Kristina had seen Alexis sway and they managed to grab her just as she blacked out. As they helped her to the ground Sam rushed over. The utter fear in her eyes was there for everyone to see. As Sam knelt by her mother's side Nikolas looked up at the man who'd walked into the room. He was a little older then the pictures he'd seen but it was clear that he at least looked just like Mikkos Cassadine.

"Johann, fetch Nassir." Mikkos demanded.

"Already on his way, my Prince." The man replied as he made to move towards Alexis.

Sam gave the man her most powerful Davis glare as she barked, "Get away from my mother!" She was so frightened, angry, and worried that she didn't care that there were tears welling in her eyes and rolling down her cheeks. If anyone tried to touch her mother in that moment she'd hurt them, and everyone in the room knew it.

"I mean her no harm, Princess." Johann said as he held up his hands in a disarming manner.

Nikolas stepped closer to his aunt and cousin as he addressed the dark, round, man who stood there looking at each of them in turn. All his life Nikolas had been training to become the Cassadine Prince. He never once thought he'd actually have to become that prince, but as he stood there with his beloved aunt passed out cold, his other aunt and cousin scared and unsure, he knew the prince is what he had to be. "Who is Nassir?"

Mikkos raised a brow at the boy. He'd literally watched the boy change before his eyes from a boy to a Cassadine. "My personal physician."

A dark skinned man appeared in the room with a medical bag in his hand. He moved towards Alexis but once again Sam stopped anyone from coming near her mother and unborn sibling. She didn't trust these people. Nikolas eyed the man carefully. "You're a doctor?"

"Yes." Nassir said. He opened his bag and pulled out his identification, which he held out to Nikolas. "I'm not going to harm her."

Nikolas accepted it and looked it over. "Samantha, he's a doctor, let him help."

Sam looked at Nikolas as if he were crazy but in return got a reassuring look that said it was ok. She let the doctor look her mother over but didn't move away from her. She glared at the poor man as he asked questions that Kristina answered regarding the pregnancy and general health questions.

The doctor pulled something out of his bag after giving Alexis a quick look over and held it under her nose. A few moments later she was coming around. "Lets get her into a chair."

Nikolas had to put his hand on Sam's shoulder as the doctor and another man helped Alexis into a chair. Once she was settled he went to his aunt and stood beside her protectively, as did Sam.

"Mom?" Sam asked. She wanted to scream, to fight, but mostly to cry. She wasn't sure how, but she managed to keep most of those emotions in check for the moment. She didn't realize she'd been crying the whole time. "Are you ok?"

Alexis groaned. "I think so." She saw the tears streaking down her baby's face and reached out to wipe them away. "I'm ok, Sam." She reassured before asking, "What happened?"

"You fainted, Natasha." Mikkos said gently.

Alexis yelped. So that hadn't been a dream. She looked at the man who continued to stand in front of them. The man couldn't be her father; he couldn't, because Luke had killed her father while she was finishing boarding school. Her father died shortly after her daughter was born. Remembering her last encounter with her father, Alexis stood up and pulled Sam behind her as if to protect her from being taken again. "I don't know what's going on here but my father is dead."

"I know there is a lot to be explained." Mikkos said as he took several steps closer to his family.

"Ya think?" Alexis snapped before she could stop herself. "My father froze to death in his own machine. The WSB took his body back to the U.S."

"Did they?" Mikkos asked. "Did you see the body before it was entombed?"

Tears she didn't want anyone to see welled in Alexis' eyes. She hadn't known Mikkos was her father then. He was her uncle, her parent, and before he'd forced her to give up her child she had loved him with the kind of innocence that only a child could. "No." She said softly as she looked away. "I wasn't allowed to attend his funeral. Helena, forbid it."

Sadness clouded Mikkos' dark eyes for a moment and he too had to look away. Once he'd composed himself he walked over to the head of the table and sat down. "Everyone, sit, dinner is getting cold."

Kristina was so stunned she simply couldn't form a coherent thought. She had never expected to meet one of her parents, they were both long dead, and yet here sat a man claiming to be her father. Like her niece and nephew, Kristina looked to Alexis for confirmation as to what to do. When Alexis gave them a slight nod they all took their seats.

"Wonderful." Mikkos said with a charming smile that reminded both women of their beloved brother. It was a little creepy to everyone.

"I think you need to start explaining things." Alexis told the man sitting at the head of the table. "I need a damn good one to believe that you really are who you appear to be."

Mikkos nodded. "Of course you do, Natasha. You have always been a very logical thinker." He paused as the servants poured the wine. Then he began, "Luke Spencer did indeed force me into the chamber. I did indeed freeze. What Mr. Spencer didn't know, what no one knew, is that my scientists were close to finding a way to defrost human beings following the freezing process. On the way to the U.S. my operatives were able to get me off the transport and safely tucked away in stasis." He sipped his wine. "I spent over a year that way before they could revive me. It took several years before I was even close to being healthy."

Alexis listened. She took in what he was saying as well as the sound of his voice. It wasn't the voice she remembered from Cassadine Island, but it wasn't the voice she heard echoing in the hallways of this house either. "You've been living here for the last ten years?"

"Yes." Mikkos answered. "I came back here to live out the rest of my life. I saw no need to return. Stavros pounced on the family like a leopard on its prey, which had its benefits. It kept him and Helena so busy that Stefan was able to take care of what mattered; you and then Nikolas."

"Stefan." Kristina said as she finally spoke up. "Why isn't he here?"

"That's very simple, Kristina." Mikkos said as he looked at his youngest child. "My beautiful Kristina. So much like your mother." Sadness and longing clouded his eyes again. It was very clear that he still missed Kristin. Then he became serious again. "This is Kristin's home. I will not have anything tainted by Helena in this house."

Nikolas looked up then. "Then why am I here?"

"You may share Helena's blood, Nikolas." Mikkos said to the boy. "But you have not been tainted by her presence in your life. You're uncle has protected you from that. You're aunt has been the sole female influence in your life." He smiled at the boy. "Kristin would have adored you." He paused and then looked at his daughters again. "I will meet with Stefan before time runs out. This is about you and my grandchildren."

Sam snorted in disgust. She was sitting in the chair beside her mother with her arms crossed over her chest. "I'm so not your grandchild."

"I know there is still some doubt regarding my…."

"Doesn't matter if you are or it you're not." Sam cut in. "Grandparents don't rip babies from their mothers' arms, and then let them get sold off to the highest bidder. I have one grandfather and one only and his name is John Jacks. And you sure the hell aren't him."

Alexis reached over and put her hand on Sam's arms. She was a little surprised to find the girl trembling. "Sam." She said softly but firmly. When she was sure Sam was a little calmer she looked back at Mikkos. "What is this all about, Mikkos? You've been dead all this time. Why come back now?"

"I will explain all in time, Natasha." Mikkos replied after turning to look at her. He'd been looking at Sam, who looked so much like her mother at that age. "But for now I wish to have dinner with my family."

"You can't keep us here, Mikkos." Alexis told him as she glared at the man. He was really pissing her off. Not to mention how overwhelmed she was feeling about all of this. "We have lives and people who will be looking for us."

Mikkos sat back as the servants served their dinner. "This is your home, Natasha, not your prison. When our visit is over you'll be allowed to go back to your lives."

"It's not a prison, but we'll be allowed to leave when you say so." Alexis said with a huff.

"Everything will be explained in time, Natasha." Mikkos told her in a very firm and commanding voice. "Right now we are going to have dinner together. I would like to get to know my daughters and my grandchildren."

Jax was on the phone in his office. Jerry was working his less then legal contacts while Jax was trying his more legitimate ones. "No, no, we need to keep this from blowing up. If the people who took them or others who mean them harm knew about this they'd use it as a sign of weakness. Yes, we're sure it's a Cassadine thing." He had his back to the door and didn't see her slip in. "My wife's family have these medallion things that they wear, they're onyx and gold with the family crest, both she and her sister have one, and both are missing. Yes, we have to think global. Yes, they are royal but don't ask me to explain how because I can't." Jax sighed and in a flare of anger yelled, "Just do whatever it takes to find my wife and daughter!"

Brenda flinched when Jax slammed the phone down. When he turned to face her she smiled at him. "You're wife? Since when is Alexis Davis your wife?"

"What do you want, Brenda?" Jax asked in a clipped tone. "I'm a little busy."

Brenda looked hurt and pouted. "Jax?"

Jax sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He had dark circles under his eyes and it was more then clear that he wasn't taking care of himself. He barely slept, he wasn't eating, and all his focus was on finding Alexis, Sam, Kristina and Nikolas. When Brenda came over to him and lifted her hands to caress his face he pushed away her touch. "What do you want Brenda?"

"I need your help." Brenda told him after the shock of his rejection wore off. "I've gotten myself into some trouble, financially, and it might cost Julia and Lois their companies." She gave him a sweet innocent smile with big bright eyes. "So, I need your help to get out of this."

"I can't, Brenda." Jax replied.

Brenda pouted. "What do you mean you can't? You always help me, always. Jax, I'm depending on you!"

Jax picked up a framed picture from his desk and turned it to show Brenda. "Do you see this little girl?" He demanded as he showed her Sam's picture. "She is depending on me, Brenda, my daughter and her mother and our unborn child are depending on me."

"But Jax." Brenda replied. She was getting angry. She was use to Jax dropping everything for her. "You always save me when I've gotten myself in to deep. Let Alexis' brother find her, let the Cassadines take care of their own."

"I value our friendship, Brenda, but that's all it is. I love Alexis, I love our little girl and the baby we're having. They are my own." Jax told the young woman. "I can't play your rescuer anymore. If I'm going to be someone's hero, I'm going to be my family's hero. Ask Sonny or the Quartermains for help."

Jax knew Brenda was angry when she left but it couldn't be helped. For the first time in his life his priorities were straight, and those priorities were Alexis, Sam, and Kristina. When his office door opened again he was ready to snap at whoever it was but stopped when he saw it was Luke.

"So, pretty boy, you ever been to Budapest?" Luke asked as he looked at the younger man.

"Budapest?" Jax asked.

Luke nodded. "You know, city in Hungry, I got a working theory. Care to come along or shall I save Natasha myself and reap all the rewards for being her hero?"

Jax shot to his feet. He knew that if anyone had a chance of finding Alexis is was Luke. "Keep your hands off my wife, Spencer."

Luke looked at the man with a raised brow. "You two elope behind our backs?"

"No." Jax said. "But I don't need a damn piece of paper or a ring to tell me that Alexis is the only woman I want to spend the rest of life with."

"Rest of your life is a long time, pretty boy." Luke replied as they left Jax's office, knowing full well the younger man would follow. "A lot can happen in all that time."

"And whatever happens I know that in the end she and I will be the ones left standing." Jax said as he pulled out his cell phone. He called Jerry and then he called the airport to have his jet prepared. "Budapest, huh?"

Luke nodded. "It's where we start."


	14. Chapter 14

He stood and watched as his daughter stared out the window. He had kept an eye on all of them over the years, watching them grow into the people they are, and none had made him as proud as her. She had endured so much tragedy in her life, and yet she'd become such a strong and brilliant young woman who loved life, who loved and was loved in return. He was proud of the woman his daughter had become, and yet it pained him to know that if he had been in her life she would not be who she is. He'd had such a demining attitude towards women that if he'd stayed present in her life he would have stifled her growth. Mikkos sighed softly. His little girl had been better off without him, and not for the first time he wished it had been him she'd lost all those years ago and not her mother.

"Natasha." He said softly as he came further into the sitting room.

Alexis closed her eyes at the sound of his voice. She was still dealing with the revelation that her father was alive, and that he had been watching their lives from a distance for all these years. When Stefan had first told her of Mikkos' death, Alexis had been torn. She was still so angry with him for taking her child from her, and yet she grieved for him like any child would grieve for a parent. She'd been heartbroken when she wasn't allowed to go his funeral. She'd shed tears over his tomb the one and only time she visited it. She could feel the anger rising in her chest again. How much emotional manipulation could she, would she, take from this man?

"Mikkos." She replied without turning around.

Mikkos frowned. "I am still your father, Natasha. You will address me appropriately."

Alexis turned to face the man. "What would be appropriate Mikkos? Shall I call you father or uncle? What roles are we going to play this time?"

"You know why I had to lie to you, Natasha." Mikkos replied as he looked into her dark eyes. They were dark like his own, but they were so expressive, so much like Kristin's. They were dark in color only, unlike his own. His darkness ran far deeper. "Helena would have killed you."

Alexis stared at him while the anger boiled in her chest. "She would have killed me. She would have killed my child. She did kill my mother. She caused me to loose my sister. You claimed to love us, Mikkos! Why didn't you protect us! Why didn't you kill her before she could destroy us all?"

"Because if I had killed her Stavros would have killed everyone in her name." Mikkos answered honestly.

"What?" Alexis asked, her eyes narrowed and her arms crossed in defiance.

"Helena had your brother completely under her control." Mikkos explained as he moved to the drink cart and poured himself a drink. "If I had killed Helena, which believe me Natasha I would have done happily when she denied me the divorce I asked her for, Stavros would have killed Stefan, you, and Kristina before finally coming after my brothers and me. He would have culled the entire family, leaving himself the last Cassadine standing." He took a drink before continuing. "So my only options were to try and control Helena as best as I could, or kill her and my own son."

Alexis listened. She knew what he said was true because that's just want Helena would do. Even her precious Stavros was a pawn in her game for power. It didn't help the anger any though. He was still the reason her mother was dead, the reason she'd gone so long without Kristina in her life, and the reason she'd missed the first ten years of her daughter's life. "Who controlled who? From where I stand she was the one with all the power. She killed my mother and nothing happened to her. She stole not only my birthright, but also my very identity, and nothing happened to her. She even killed my father, and nothing ever happened to her!"

Mikkos turned to look at his daughter. "Luke Spencer is the one who tried to kill me, Natasha. I must say, I highly disapprove of your choice of friends."

"I don't give a damn what you do or do not approve of in my life!" Alexis snapped. "And Luke might have been the one who tossed you into the deep freeze, but Helena's the one who drove you to the madness that caused you to be there in the first. My father was a brilliant man, a noble man, a kind and caring man. That man died the day my mother did. What was left in his place was a dark, evil, twisted madman who didn't think twice about hurting his own child, his own grandchild, or millions of innocent people."

"In regards to Samantha. I did what I thought was best for you both, Natasha." Mikkos replied calmly. "You were a child yourself. As for the rest, looking back, it was perhaps an ill conceived idea."

She looked at him and rolled her eyes. Only he would think freezing the world was in hindsight an ill-conceived idea, and not total and complete madness. "I could have done it." Alexis told him. "If you would have helped me I could have raised my child! Do you know what happened to her? Do you know what my child went through because of you? That clinic you forced me into was a front for a baby broker! My daughter was sold on the black market to a con artist for cash like she was an object rather then an innocent little child."

Mikkos took a step closer to his daughter as he said, "I didn't know, Natasha, I thought that clinic was a respectable place."

"You should have listened to me." Alexis told him coldly. "You should have heard me when I told you I wanted my child, that I wanted to raise her and be her mother."

"That's what you're doing now." Mikkos said with approval. "You're a wonderful mother, Natasha."

Anger flashed in her dark eyes. "I missed ten years of her life, Mikkos! I missed all her firsts! And worse then that, Sam suffered! She was smacked around and used. She went hungry, unbathed, unclothed, without a roof over her head!" Alexis stepped closer to the man. "I don't know why you brought us here, Mikkos, but if it was to make amends or to atone for your sins, it was a waste of a perfectly good kidnapping. For what you did to me and my daughter, I will never forgive you."

Mikkos watched as Alexis stormed out of the room with tears flowing down her cheeks and it broke his already weak heart. He walked over to the window where she had been standing and looked out over the view. He hadn't been expecting her to come back so when she spoke it startled him.

"I need to know one thing." Alexis said and then corrected herself. "Two things, actually. Did you know Sam was with the McCalls?"

"Yes." Mikkos answered without turning to look at her.

Her anger flashed. "How could you leave her with them?"

"You weren't ready." Mikkos answered.

"I wasn't ready for what?" Alexis asked as she came closer to him.

Mikkos turned around. "You needed to break away, to become your own person; you needed to step out of the shadows of others and stand in the sun on your own. When you did those things I made sure Samantha was set on the path that would bring her back to you."

Alexis narrowed her eyes at the man and crossed her arms over her chest. "Explain."

"Samantha was left behind when Cody McCall got into trouble he couldn't handle, correct?" Mikkos asked. When Alexis nodded he continued. "I made sure Mr. McCall would find that trouble. I also made sure that Sam's records were easily located."

Sam had never been in the Florida system. They never could figure out how Carly was able to find records on Sam when Sam had refused to give the authorities more then her first name. Now it made sense. "If you hadn't taken her in the first place…"

"Helena would have killed you both." Mikkos cut in.

Alexis glared at the man.

"You had another question." Mikkos reminded her.

It took several seconds for Alexis to bring herself to ask. Despite wanting to know the answer she was afraid of what it might be. "Did he ever come back?"

Mikkos looked at his daughter for several seconds before finally answering, "Yes."

Alexis' heart was caught in her throat. "Did you harm him?"

"No." Mikkos answered.

"Did you do something to keep him away?" Alexis asked, her voice betraying her emotions.

Mikkos nodded. "He wasn't who you thought he was, Natasha."

"What the hell does that mean?" Alexis asked as she angrily wiped a tear away.

"It means just what I said, Natasha." Mikkos replied. "He was not who you thought he was."

"Sammie?" Nikolas said softly as he stuck his head into his cousin's room. He'd been knocking on her door for several minutes but there had been no reply. When he stuck his head in he saw her sitting on her bed with her knees drawn up to her chest, her arms wrapped around her knees, and her head down. It was heartbreaking. He walked over to her and sat beside her, taking her into his arms and holding her tight.

Sam had managed to make it through dinner but as soon as she was alone she broke down. She was scared and confused, and she could tell her mother was just as emotional. She was worried about her mom, the baby, her aunt and cousin. She missed home and all the people there. It was just too much for her to handle. She'd heard Nikolas knocking but she hadn't wanted him to see her so crushed. Now that he had his arms around her, now that she heard his voice whispering into her ear, Sam realized just how badly she'd wanted someone to comfort her. She clung to her cousin as if she was drowning and Nikolas was her lifeline.

"It's going to be ok, Sammie." Nikolas reassured her. "I don't think we're in any danger. Aunt Alexis seems sure that this man really is Mikkos. And we won't be here forever. You know that Uncle is looking for us. You know that Luke and Jax are looking for us."

"You heard what my Mom said." Sam said with a sniffle. "No one knows about this place. Uncle Stefan won't know where to look or who to look at. He thinks Mikkos is still dead."

Nikolas kept physical contact with Sam even when she pulled away from him. He knew how much having his Aunts touch him when he was upset helped him to feel better, even if it was something as simple and subtle as brushing their fingers through his hair. "He'll figure it out, and if not, then Luke will." That was painful to admit. "He has this really weird knack for blowing apart the best laid Cassadine plans, and this time he'll have someone pushing him to be successful."

"Who?" Sam asked.

"My mother and Carly." Nikolas answered. "You know Carly won't let up on him until he finds you."

Sam smiled a watery smile at the thought of Carly. Then her eyes welled with more tears. "I want to go home, Niky. I want my Dad, and Carly, and I want my Mom safe at home and close to the hospital."

"I know, Sammie, and we'll get home, I promise." Nikolas pulled her close and hugged her again.

Zander knocked on the door of the brownstone and waited for someone to answer. He was worried about Carly. She was taking Sam being missing pretty hard, and he wanted to be there for her. He smiled warmly when Bobbie answered the door. "Hi Ms. Spencer. Is Carly home?"

Bobbie looked a little surprised. "No, she said she was going to be with you."

"I haven't seen her since yesterday." Zander said with a deep frown.

As soon as the seatbelt sign went off Luke made a beeline for the drinks. He was pouring himself a scotch as he explained, "The Cassadines have a habit of hiding things from each other as well as the rest of the world. They don't trust each other any more then we trust them. From time to time I comb through random global financials looking for any strange activity. I normally do it as a way of keeping track of Helena and Count Vlad, but recently I came across a name that peeked my interest."

"What name would that be?" Jax asked as Luke sat on the couch across from him on the private jet.

"Bergman." Luke answered then sipped his scotch. "Oh, good stuff pretty boy, I'm impressed."

Jax frowned a bit as he thought over what Luke was telling him. "As in Kristin Bergman? Alexis and Kristina's mother?"

"Yeap." Luke answered.

"So what? A relative or something?" Jax asked.

Luke shook his head. "Impossible. She didn't have any family. Most of them were wiped out following the world war two, and the ones who remained simply faded away year after year until she was the only one left standing." He took another sip. "What do know of the story of Kristin?"

"I know that she started out as a nanny for Stefan." Jax answered. "That Mikkos fell in love with her and hid her from Helena."

Luke nodded. He went into more detail about Alexis' mother, sharing some of the same stories with Jax that he'd once told Alexis. "She was Kristin Nelson at one point. Which is why when I noticed the name Nelson Bergman pop up in the places I normally look for Cassadines I got a little suspicious. Something about it just set my Cassadine sense tingling."

After discussing things for a few more minutes Luke excused himself to find the bathroom. When he opened the door to the compartment he was more then a little surprised at what he saw.

Carly smiled at her uncle as she waved at him. "Hey Uncle Luke."

"Caroline." Luke greeted. "You wanna get out of there. I kind of need to use the room."


	15. Chapter 15

Kristina followed the sound of music down the long hall. The door was ajar so she stood outside the room and listened. She knew the voice from the cassette tape that Alexis had, but the aria was different. The young redhead closed her eyes and listened to her mother's voice. Tears welled under her lashes both from the beauty of the piece and from missing, and longing for her mother. Growing up Kristina had often wondered where she'd gotten her ability to sing because no one in her adoptive family could carry a tune in a bucket. When she'd found out that her birth mother had been a singer it changed how Kristina felt when she sang. Each and every time she sang, be it on stage or to her niece, Kristina felt a connection to her mother. She hadn't been able to explain that to Alexis, maybe she should have tried harder, because maybe her sister would have been more accepting of what she was trying to do with her life.

"That was her favorite piece." Mikkos said at the end of the recording.

The young woman jumped as her eyes flew open. She hadn't realized she'd caused the door to open from leaning on it. She looked at the man who sat in the room. Her father; Kristina was still having a problem processing that.

"Come in." Mikkos said as he looked up at her.

It was a music room, built she had no doubt especially for her mother. Kristina walked in and took a seat near Mikkos. "Why?" She asked simply.

"She loved the story." Mikkos answered, as he looked at the daughter who reminded him of his beloved Kristin, the daughter he had to watch grow up from a distance.

Kristina smiled softly. "She was a romantic?"

Mikkos chuckled. "Yes. Happy or sad, heroic, comedic, or tragic, as long as it was a love story she was enthralled."

"I wish I had known her." Kristina said softly as her mother's voice once again filled the room. She was again startled when Mikkos reached over and put his hand on hers. She looked up into his dark eyes, Alexis' eyes, and just like with her beloved sister she could see what truly lied beneath. "You loved her so much."

"I did." Mikkos replied. "I do." He held tightly to his youngest child's hand and looked into her bright eyes as the light in the room highlighted her red hair. "She came as quite the surprise to my life."

"How?" Kristina asked.

"She was so bright and full of life." Mikkos said as he pictured the love of his life in his memory. "Such a contrast to everything else in my life." He closed his eyes and listened for a moment and in that moment he was back on the terrace of his study in his home in Greece. "It was her voice that I noticed first. A soft, happy, beautiful voice, not just the voice of an angel but of God, it came wafting up from the garden below my window. It was startling at first, to hear such a joyful sound on the island, but then I realized Helena and her son were gone. The whole island seemed to take on a different air when they were off to darken some other poor helpless place."

While Kristina sat with him as Mikkos told his story Alexis lingered in the hall. Like her sister she'd been drawn towards the sound of her mother's voice, and now stayed to hear her father's story.

"I was working in my study and heard this beautiful song so I stepped out onto my terrace to see where the singing was coming from. It was just light enough to see her in the garden. She was simply enjoying the evening, the breeze off the ocean, the rising moon, the peace. I watched her, enchanted by her. I watched her until she went inside and then went back to my work, but for days she was on my mind. The next time I saw her I was taking a walk and I heard laughter coming up from the beach. Laughter, happy, giddy laughter was another sound not common to the island."

Alexis managed to hold back a snort at such an understatement.

"I found her on the beach with Stefan. They were playing in the surf and laughing. I don't think I'd ever heard my son laugh before that moment." Mikkos continued. "His face was shinning, his eyes bright, and his smile contagious. That's when I knew who she was and that evening I sought her out for the first time." Mikkos grew sober then. "It broke Stefan's heart too loose his beloved governess but I had to keep Kristin safe from Helena. Her employment was terminated and she was sent away from the island. Several months later we received word, in passing of course, that Kristin Nelson had been killed in an accident. Kristin Bergman was working with the best operatic vocal coach in Europe in preparation for her first show."

"Poor Stefan must have been devastated thinking she was dead." Kristina said sadly. It meant a lot to her to know that her brother had once loved her mother and he had been loved by her in return.

Mikkos nodded. "Yes, but Kristin's safety was more important especially after becoming pregnant with your sister. If Helena would have found out…"

"She found out anyway." Kristina cut in. "She found out and she hunted our mother down and slit her throat right in front of Alexis."

Mikkos had to look away. He couldn't bare the emotion in his daughter's eyes, nor the memory of finding his beloved Kristin dead and his precious daughter covered in her blood and catatonic.

"You loved her so much." Kristina continued. "You should have done a better job of protecting us, of protecting her." Her anger and sadness flared as she added, "I should have grown up with my mother and my sister! I should have had the chance to have memories of this place like Alexis has! I should have had the chance to know my mother, to know you!"

Alexis managed to get out of the way just as her sister stormed past. She saw the tears and it broke her heart. She turned to look at Mikkos who was looking at her in return. "Not the happy reunion you were hoping for is it, Father?" She didn't give the man time to reply. She simply walked away so she could follow Kristina so she could comfort her. As she passed Nikolas' room Alexis paused and knocked. She knew both kids were in there because they'd been attached at the hip since their arrival. Stepping inside she asked, "Have you two found the garage yet?"

Nikolas and Sam shared a look before Nikolas answered. "Yes, and there's several cars but we aren't sure if they work or not."

"Sam," Alexis said with an inward sigh. "If they work can you…"

Sam cut her mother off so she wouldn't have to say it out loud. "Yeah, they're old but I can get them started."

"Good." Alexis replied with a nod. It was time to go. She didn't say anymore she simply walked out of the room and down the hall to Kristina's room. She knocked on the door before walking in. She didn't say a word she simply walked over to the bed and laid down beside her sister and put her arm around the younger woman.

Carly sat in the large office that looked like it came out of one of Sam's black and white movies. In fact this whole situation felt like something out of a movie, only the characters in the movies never got grounded over a satellite phone for sneaking out of the country by stowing away in a bathroom. Despite the fact that her mother was sporting more of a blonde look these days, when she's on a tirade like the one she'd let loose on Carly, there was no forgetting Bobbie Spencer was a hot tempered redhead. Luke on the other hand had been more mellow about his niece playing tagalong. He'd actually found a use for her in his plots to gain more information. The plan was for Jax to distract the bank manger while Carly slipped in a floppy disk that would copy all the files Luke would need to figure out where Sam and her family were. Carly was surprised at how good Jax was at pulling a con and she wondered if Sam knew he was a natural. As soon as Jax had the banker out of the office Carly did just as her uncle had told her. By the time Jax and the banker came back she had the disk safely back in her pocket.

Back at the hotel Luke went over the information carefully. "Well, this is interesting."

"What?" Jax asked from over his shoulder.

"There's been some recent activity." Luke explained. "New trusts created and there's been an increase in how much is being spent from other accounts. From what I can tell this account here has been consistent for awhile, but in the last month or two it's started to seen increased usage."

Jax took a careful look at the columns and figures. "It looks like some kind of household account."

"Now all we need to do is find out what house it's taking care of." Luke said as he went back to poking at the laptop's keyboard. "These withdraws have to be going somewhere."

"I didn't know you knew so much about computers." Jax commented.

Luke chuckled. "I'm not as dumb as I look." It took some time but Luke was about to track a couple of the withdraws to some shops in a town in Austria. "Hey pretty boy, how's your German?"

"Where are we going Uncle Luke?" Carly asked.

"Where the hills are a live." Luke answered.

Carly blinked. "Huh?"

"Don't you ever watch musicals?" Luke asked his niece.

Carly shook her head.

"Such a deprived child." Luke teased as he packed up his stuff. "Austria, this little town in the Alps. Hope you packed a coat."

"I didn't pack anything." Carly said with a roll of her eyes. She knew that her uncle was just trying to keep things light to keep her and Jax from going out of their minds with worry, but it was starting to piss her off.

"Then you'd better hope Jax takes you shopping." Luke advised. "It doesn't get very warm in the Alps."

It was well past midnight when Sam got the car started. She was rather proud of herself. The car was fairly old and unlike anything she'd hotwired in the past. It took longer then normal but in the end she got the old car running and as quietly as she could too. With her mother behind the wheel they were slowly backing out of the garage but they didn't get far once they'd made it to the gravel path. "Mom, look out!"

Sergei and two guards were blocking their way and suddenly driving down the path became a game of chicken. Alexis continued to slowly make her way forward but when the men showed no signs of moving she finally gave in and stopped. "Damn it." She slammed her hand against the wheel as the guards came over and opened the doors.

"I'm sorry Princess." Sergei said as his boss's family got out of the car. "I can not allow you to leave." He looked at the guards. "Escort the Princesses and Prince back to their rooms." Once their guests were back in their rooms Sergei went to Mikkos' study. "It was a rather lame attempt."

Mikkos chuckled. "But an attempt none the less. My daughter has grown so much in these past years. The fact that she would dare to make any attempt at leaving, of defying me, is proof of that. My Natasha has flourished without my presence in her life." He poured himself a drink before turning to look at the young man. "She will continue to grow when I am once again a memory."

"Will you be telling them soon then?" Sergei asked.

"No." Mikkos replied. "I will not darken what time we have."

"And if you want that time to be prolonged I suggest you change your plans." Nassir said as he entered the room. "Traveling will only exacerbate the problem."

"I heard you the first several times, Nassir." Mikkos told the man. "I must do this. I will not have anything, not even my son, stand as a threat to my daughters. I will not have him, no matter how good his intentions; use what I am doing as another means of control. Now if you'll excuse me I am going to retire for the evening. Johann, I wish to have breakfast alone with Natasha before I leave."

"Of course Sir." The other man said with a nod of his head.

The next morning Alexis was shown to her father's study. When she walked in she found Mikkos sitting at a table looking over some papers. The scene snapped her back in time and for a moment she felt like the scared little girl who lived on Cassadine island. When her father looked up at her and smile that feeling quickly faded away. Mikkos had never smiled at her on the island but he had in this house and that was the man she wanted to remember.

"Good morning Natasha." Mikkos greeted. "I hope I haven't gotten you up to early after your late night."

"If you expect me to apologize…" Alexis began but her father held up his hand to stop her.

"I do not expect an apology." He said. "To be honest I'm please."

Alexis didn't even try to hide her surprise. "You're pleased that we tried to escape?"

"I am pleased that you took a stand." Mikkos said as he waved at a chair for her to sit and join him. "I am pleased to see you coming into your own. I do however wish you would stop seeing this as your prison."

"Sending your goons out to stop us didn't exactly help with the image." Alexis said as she sat. "And maybe if you'd been more of a father to me and less of a distant coldhearted son of a…"

"If I had been any more or less than what I was you would not be the woman you are." Mikkos cut in. "We can not change the past Natasha, we can only try to make amends for past mistakes and shortcomings, be in the present, and look to the future." He pushed several folders towards her. "I would like you to look these over while I am away."

Alexis looked between the folders and Mikkos. "What is this?" She looked up at him. "You're going away?"

"You'll know what they are as you look them over." Mikkos answered as he stood. "And yes, I will be gone for several days. The staff will be here to serve you." He stood beside her and leaned down, placing a kiss atop her head. "Enjoy your home in peace my beautiful Natasha."


	16. Chapter 16

When Stefan finally allowed himself to give in to his exhaustion he'd gone up to his bed at Windermere, but when he woke up he was in his room on Cassadine Island. As soon as he realized what had happened he tore the island apart looking for his sisters, nephew and niece. When there was no sign of them, no sign that they had ever been there, Stefan took his anger and frustration out on the breakable objects around him. Every time he thought he'd had a lead on his family's whereabouts he'd find that he'd been lead there on purpose. No matter how hard he tried he could not figure out who kept sending him on wild goose chases or who was helping them do so. He felt as if he were failing his sisters and the last thing Stefan ever wanted to do was fail Alexis yet again.

After pouring himself a drink Stefan sat by the open terrace doors. He couldn't seem to stop the memories from washing over him the way the waves below washed over the sands. With his eyes closed he could see himself and Alexis playing pirates in the cove, or him and Stavros as very young boys playing Romans, but without fail the moment he remembered Stavros Helena would invade his thoughts like a dark shadow. Things could have been so different if not for Helena. He hoped that wherever she was she was suffering or better yet rotting in hell.

Stefan opened his eyes and looked down at the picture he held in his hand. He was sitting on a bench in the garden with Stavros sitting to his right and Alexis standing to his left. All three of them had genuine smiles on their faces. It was a rare moment, a rare and precious moment in their lives together. For that fleeting moment in time the three of them were truly siblings and happy to be so. And then Helena came home and once again the moments between them were fueled with hate and torment.

Setting the picture aside Stefan stood and turned around. The glass in his hand fell to the floor as he caught sight of the man standing across the room watching him. All the color drained from Stefan as he met the dark eyes of a ghost; a ghost who brought all of his emotions, all the hurt, anger, and desire of a boy who only wanted his father to be a father.

"Hello Stefan." Mikkos said after staring at his son for several minutes. He, like Kristina, favored his mother more then Mikkos, but unlike with Kristina Mikkos did not find this comforting. He found it chilling and almost unbearable. "Well? Aren't you going to greet your father?"

It took several moments for Stefan to find his voice and reorder his thoughts. It shouldn't really be any surprise that Mikkos was alive, but it was. It hadn't ever crossed his mind and for a moment he wondered why. After all, his father was capable of a lot, why not resurrection? "Good evening, Father. You are looking well for a dead man."

"I found death to be quite disagreeable." Mikkos replied. "So I came back."

"You've hidden from us all this time?" Stefan asked. "Why? And why show yourself now?"

Mikkos waved the question away as if it were a gnat. "None of that is of any importance. I am here to discuss business."

This was all so surreal but Stefan managed to keep a cool head. "Where are Alexis and the others?" As soon as he'd seen Mikkos he knew. Their father had his sisters stashed somewhere along with Nikolas and Samantha. "Are they alright?"

"They and the children are well." Mikkos replied. "They are safe, well cared for, and together."

"I want to see them." Stefan demanded.

Mikkos poured himself a drink. "You will see them again, back in Port Charles, when the time is right. Now, let us get down to the reasons for this meeting."

"And what reasons are those?" Stefan asked. It was like living through a dream. Stefan couldn't take his eyes off the man. If this truly were a dream Mikkos would look the way he did the last time Stefan saw him, but this man was older, and somehow different than he remembered.

"My girls of course." Mikkos answered.

Stefan bristled at his father's comment. "You mean my sisters."

Sam and Nikolas had gone over every single inch of the massive house and they both had noticed places where phones should have been, but were missing. So there were phones in the house they'd just been taken out. That's when their exploration turned into a treasure hunt. Sam figured that their grandfather would need access to a phone, and they figured that he'd have it in his study, so that's where they started their search. With Nikolas acting as a look out Sam picked the lock on the study door and any lock on cabinets or drawers they couldn't access.

"Ha!" Sam cheered after pulled open the deep locked drawer of Mikko's desk. "I knew there had to be one in here." Once she had the phone she started looking for the jack, finding one alond the baseboard under the desk. "There it is."

Nikolas got excited when he saw Sam with the phone and moved away from the door. He went over to her quickly as she began dialing. "No, Sam, you have to dial one and then the country code."

"What's the country code?" Sam asked. Nikolas showed her how to do it and of course the number she dialed was Jax's. "Dad!"

"Sam?" Jax said in surprise. "Sam, baby, where are you?"

"Mom's old house." Sam replied. "We're ok, we're someplace in the Alps or something. Dad, Mikkos has us!" She managed to get out before she screamed from surprise when someone grabbed her wrist and yanked on it. She had a death grip on the phone as she yelled, "Mikkos has us!"

The guard shook his head as he hung up the phone. He drug both children out of the room and through the house until they got to where Johann and Alexis were. As soon as Sam saw her mother she kicked the guard in the shin and ran to her.

"Sam?" Alexis asked with concern as she wrapped her arms around her daughter. "Baby what's wrong? What's happened?"

The guard spoke in Russian as he said, "They found the Master's phone and called out."

Johann raised an eyebrow. "How? It was locked away in his desk, in his locked study."

Alexis was smirking. "My daughter is very resourceful."

"I called Dad." Sam said as she looked up into her mother's face. She didn't want to say more than that, didn't want to admit in front of them that she had told Jax a clue, but her eyes told her mother everything. When she turned away from her mother she looked at the men in the room. "My Dad is going to find us and you're all going to be very sorry!"

Johann just shook his head as he dismissed the guard. "I do not understand, Princess. This is your home and yet you continue to act as if…"

"It was my prison." Alexis cut in. She was starting to sound like broken record. "I didn't come here of my own accord, Johann. We were kidnapped and brought here against our will. We were forced away from our home and the people we love. I've read over what my father left for me to go over and I guess I can understand part of his reasoning, but that doesn't change the fact that we are in fact his captives."

"Your father has his reasons for wanting you here and for the ways he brought you here." Johann said in defense of the man.

Sam snorted. "Bet he had his reasons for going all Mr. Freeze and trying to turn the world into the world's biggest ice cube too."

Johann frowned even deeper. "The Master had good intentions."

Alexis shook her head. "Johann, please don't. That man was a villain and there's no making excuses for him."

"He is not that man here." Johann replied as he looked at Alexis as if she'd been five and had just kicked him again, just the way Sam had kicked the guard.

"I miss the man I knew here." Alexis admitted. "But he's gone, Johann, you don't know the man I was raised by, the man who hurt me deeper then anyone ever could." She pulled Sam close and held her protectively. "There are just some things I can never forgive him for."

"You're absolutely sure she said Mikkos?" Luke asked as he glared at Jax.

The tall blonde man nodded his head. "Yes, Sam said Mikkos had them, and that they were at Alexis' old house."

Luke slammed his hand down on the table, which caused Carly to jump. "That's impossible! I killed him! I saw him die!"

"Wouldn't Mikkos make sense?" Jax asked. "With everything we've learned? Every lead we've followed is tied to Kristin Bergman. It had to be either her or him and since everyone we've talked to says it's a him..."

"Mikkos Cassadine is alive." Luke said in a way that made Carly move closer to Jax.

"Who's Mikkos Cassadine?" Carly asked carefully.

"More of a vampire then I thought." Luke answered. When he turned and saw the spooked look in his niece's eyes, he calmed him self and sighed. "He's Alexis, Kristina, Stefan, and Stavros's father. He's Helena's husband. He's also bit of a mad man. Some years ago, just after Sam was born in fact, he tried to pull a Pinky and the Brain. He's actually a brilliant man, a logical, scientific man who could have done so much good if he hadn't been so twisted."

Carly listened to her uncle's story about Mikkos and the weather machine and was finding it hard to believe. "You need to stop watching reruns of 70s comic book shows."

Luke laughed. "I wish it were just an episode of cheesy 70s camp but it's real, Caroline." He then looked up at Jax. "And if he is alive then we need to rethink our plans. When we find this hidden estate we'll need to sneak in and we'll need to be armed."

"Armed?" Jax asked. "Luke is that really necessary?"

"It's better to be safe then sorry." Luke replied. He then turned to look at his niece. She wasn't going to like what he had to say, but there was no way he was going to take her anywhere near Mikkos. He loved the girl, and her mother, to much to put Carly in that much danger. "I think it's time for you to head home darlin."

"Not a chance in hell." Carly replied. "I'm not going anywhere until Sam, Kris, and Alexis are safe."

Luke shook his head. "With Mikkos in play this just got a whole lot more risky, Caroline. I'm not going to put you in that kind of danger. You're going home and that's that."

Jax nodded in agreement. "I'll make the arguments. She can go back on the plane bringing in Jerry."

"Good." Luke said. "Jerry's a good man to have on this." He looked at Carly and then pulled her to him and hugged her. "It'll be ok Caroline. Jax and I will get them back safely, I promise. And I'll make sure you're the first person Sam calls."

Carly wasn't happy about this but she didn't argue. In all the time she'd been home and back with her mother, her uncle had never once hugged her. The fact that he was doing so now let her know just how bad he thought this was about to get. "Be careful."

Luke hugged a little tighter. "Don't worry about your ol' uncle Luke, niece. I'd be more worried about facing your mama when you get home."

Carly thought about that and groaned as she buried her face in her uncle's chest.


	17. Chapter 17

When Kristina walked into her sister's room she found Alexis sitting on the bed looking over a bunch of papers. She couldn't help but smile. Alexis was cute with her glasses perched on her nose and the slight crease in her forehead. Whatever she was looking at either had her sister confused or irritated because she was tapping her nails on the thick blue backing paper. Walking over to the bed, Kristina pushed some things aside so she could sit on the bed as well. "You're still looking this stuff over? What is it?"

"A whole fortune separate from that of the Cassadine fortune." Alexis replied as she shook her head. "He has the royalty rights to all of Mama's favorite operas, all her favorite pieces of music. There's ownership or part ownership of opera companies and opera houses all over Europe and Asia. Stocks, bonds, investments, properties all in the Bergman name."

"Well," Kristina said as she looked over something she had no clue about. "He had to have an income. It's not like he could use any of the Cassadine money, right?"

Alexis nodded. "He hasn't, at least not that I can find, none of this has any ties what so ever to the Cassadines."

"If it had, he would have been found." Kristina said easily.

"Yes." Alexis agreed. "But some of this goes back to before I was born. I don't understand. I thought everything Mama had, all the properties he'd bought for her, all her jewelry, all the money made from her career, had been cannibalized into the Cassadine holdings."

Kristina could see the mix of emotions in her sister's eyes. She reached out and took Alexis' hand in her own and gave it a squeeze. "He wanted to make sure her children were taken care of. I know he's done a lot of seriously bad stuff, Alexis, but you can't deny that he loved our mother."

Alexis sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose after taking her glasses off. "I know he did." She sighed again softly. "He's making arrangements for it all to be transferred over to me. There are trusts set up for you, Sam, the baby, and any future babies either of us have. I haven't even looked at everything yet. I wish I knew why he was doing all of this now. Why he made himself known to us now, not sooner, not later."

"I'm sorry this is such a struggle for you." Kristina said as she reached up and brushed at her sister's hair. Alexis had started to look tired and Kristina could tell she wasn't feeling well. She was becoming concerned about her sister's health and that of the baby she was carrying.

"There's a part of me who wants to let him in. The part that remembers the man Natasha knew." Alexis admitted to her sister as she picked up the papers and folders and started neatly putting it all away. "But there's a bigger part of me who remembers the man he became and the things he did and didn't do." She paused as she moved everything over to the desk in her room. With her back to her sister she said, "I look at him and I see him smiling down at me while I play on the floor of his study and then an instant later I see him with this blank expression on his face as Helena back hands me for some made up offence. I see the man who would wake me up in the middle of the night so we could sneak into the kitchen and eat ice cream and chocolate cake, and then I see the man who woke me up in the middle of night to whisk me away to a clinic where he'd take my child from me."

Kristina walked over to her sister and put her arms around her and her chin on Alexis' shoulder.

"Two different men, Natasha's papa and Alexandra's uncle, and yet they're both him." Alexis said softly.

Kristina thought about it for a moment and then said, "So why not leave Natasha's Papa and Alexandra's Uncle in the past and figure out who Mikkos is to Alexis?"

"I'm not sure if he can be anything to me, Kristina." Alexis admitted and then flinched a little.

"Are you alright?" Kristina asked in concern as she guided her sister towards the bed.

Alexis gave a weak smile. "I'm fine, just tired and the baby is squirming a bit, she does that when I get upset."

"So lay down and relax a little." Kristina said as she helped Alexis onto the bed. "Do you want me to get Nassir?"

"No." Alexis replied with a gentle shake of her head. "I'm fine, Kristina. I'm going to take a nap. Will you keep an eye on Sam and Nikolas?"

Kristina nodded. "Of course I will."

"Everything appears to be in order." Stefan said as he and his father sat at a table in the sitting room of their Greek home.

Mikkos nodded. "Of course it is."

"Then why bring this to my attention?" Stefan asked the man as he looked up at him. It still felt so surreal to be looking at his father after so long. Unlike his sister Stefan had the memory of Mikkos' funeral and it felt weird to be speaking with the man he thought to be ashes in an urn all these years.

"So you would know it has nothing to do with the Cassadine holdings." Mikkos answered. "I didn't want you jumping to any conclusions especially given Alexis' mishaps in the past."

"You refer too her attempt at setting up Katherine Bell." Stefan said with a gentle snort.

Mikkos raised a brow in question at Stefan's response.

"It was a good attempt for a first time out on her own." Stefan said as he got up to pour himself some tea. "Even if it did fail miserably."

"The set up perhaps." Mikkos agreed. "You're sister is a brilliant woman but hardly a devious person. She did however get you to see the error of your choices."

Stefan glared at his father. "You didn't know Katherine."

"I know she had traits that reminded me far to much of your mother." Mikkos said bluntly.

Somehow Stefan managed to hold in the shutter he felt at the idea. So many had said he was trying to turn Katherine into Laura, and here was his father saying she was like his mother. Even to Stefan that sounded sick. "How long have you been watching us?"

"Since my revival." Mikkos answered honestly. He rose from his seat and began to gather his things. "I also felt you needed to be aware because of your mother. They will need your continued protection from her."

"If she were to find out you had this all step up on their behalf it will make them even greater targets." Stefan said with a knowing nod. "She has already made an attempt on Samantha."

Mikkos nodded. "I am aware."

"Do you know where she is?" Stefan asked. "I haven't been able to locate her since her attempt at kidnapping Samantha."

Mikkos smirked. "No, I am not the one who has immobilized her, but we both know that she will eventually resurface."

Stefan turned to look at his father with a look of disgust on his face. "You still refuse to do what you should have done years ago."

"And why, my son, have you not killed the viper yourself?" Mikkos asked. "There is no love lost between you. No bond that would prevent you from killing her." Mikkos paused, he turned to his son and said, "There was a time that I loved Helena, a time when we were both two very different people. The memory of that girl keeps me from killing the woman."

While his father spoke Stefan watched him carefully. "Is that also why you stood by and allowed that woman to mistreat, even abuse your daughter and pit your sons against each other?"

"I was not the father I should have been. For a short time, I was able to be a father to Natasha." Mikkos said as he and his son locked eyes. "But, I was never that for you. That was an error on my part."

Though he showed no outward signs of emotion inside Stefan was in shock. In his own way Mikkos had just apologized for failing him as a father. Stefan didn't know what to think let alone what to say.

"You have done well with Nikolas, but from time to time you should take your sisters' advice a little more. Keep the family as your main priority but not your only one, Stefan." Mikkos said as he picked up his briefcase. "I must get back to your sisters. You will remain here under guard until I have finished my visit with them. Then and only then will you all be returned to Port Charles." He looked up at his son and for several long moments they just looked into each other's eyes. "Perhaps you are more my son than hers after all."

Stefan stood there and watched his father leave, stunned.

Sam couldn't sleep. When she was alone in her room and with her thought all she thought about was going home. She missed her Dad, she missed Carly; she missed Artemis and the lakehouse and her friends. She wondered what they were all doing and if they were missing her too. Hearing her Dad's voice on the phone, even for a second, had made it all worse. After tossing and turning for a while the twelve year old decided to get up and raid the kitchen. She really wanted some popcorn but the out of date kitchen didn't have a microwave. Sam was grumbling about this oversight and looking through the fridge when a voice behind her made her yelp.

"For what do you require a microwave?" Mikkos asked his granddaughter.

Sam glared at the old man who'd startled her. "Didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude to sneak up on people?"

Mikkos raised a brow as he watched the girl. "I didn't mean to frighten you, Samantha, I apologize."

"Whatever." The girl replied as she went back to looking through the fridge. She had no intention, no desire to interact with this man. He had hurt her mother and for that there was no forgiveness.

"You didn't answer my question, Samantha." Mikkos said. He knew he had a battle on his hands when it came to his granddaughter, and he couldn't blame her for her resistance to him. Nor could he blame her mother for her resentment and anger. "What do you need a microwave for?"

"My name is Sam, and I need it for popcorn." Sam answered as she came away from the fridge with a glass of milk. "What are you even doing here? I thought you were gone."

Mikkos walked further into the room as he said, "I arrived home not even an hour ago." He walked over to the fireplace and stoked the fire before going over to a cabinet.

Sam watched the old man as he moved around the kitchen. She watched with interest as he got a stoneware pot of some kind and then some weird looking cast iron basket on a stick thing. "What are you doing?"

"Making popcorn." Mikkos answered.

"How?" Sam asked as she slipped off her chair and moved so she could see him and yet not go near him. "There's no microwave."

Mikkos laughed while he put popcorn from the stoneware pot into the cast iron shaker. "You don't need one to make popcorn."

Sam watched as Mikkos used the weird looking device over the fire in the fireplace to make popcorn. It didn't smell like popcorn, or at least it didn't smell like microwaveable popcorn, it kind of smelled better. "So why didn't you want me in your family?"

"That isn't why I did what I did, Samantha." Mikkos replied.

"Sam." The girl repeated.

Mikkos gave in. The look she was giving him was just too cute. "Sam."

The girl nodded and then continued the conversation about how she felt. "Sure it is. Wealthy, powerful family like yours, a knocked up unwed teenage daughter, or niece, or whatever, would have been embarrassing."

"Yes." Mikkos admitted. "It would have been."

"Which is why I was a dirty little secret." Sam said. "And now here I am and people know that dirty little secret. Guess you put my mother through all the pain for nothing."

"I never meant to hurt her, Sam." Mikkos said as he looked over his shoulder at her.

Sam snorted. "Please, just because I look like I don't get a lot, doesn't mean I don't get a lot. You had to give up Kristina, so you knew how it would feel, but you made her do it anyway. You were such a hypocrite."

Mikkos raised an eyebrow again. "How so?"

"You kept my Mom for your own selfish reasons instead of sending her away like you did Kristina." Sam answered. "You wouldn't let her keep me, telling her I would be safer, better off with someone else, but if you really believed that you would have sent her away rather then turn her over to the dragon lady. Your wife is bat shit crazy by the way. Way to pick 'em Gramps."

Mikkos couldn't help but laugh at the child.

"What's so funny?" Sam asked with a bit of annoyance. She wasn't trying to be funny she was being sarcastic and honest.

"You remind me of Sophia." Mikkos answered as he carried the now popped popcorn over to a large bowl and poured it in. "She had a way of stating the truth in a very blunt manner. If she had been born male she would have been the unstoppable Cassadine."

"She was your sister." Sam said as she carefully took a handful of the popcorn he was offering her. She popped a couple of the kernels into her mouth and smiled. Oh that was good! That was really really good! Better than microwaved! Not that she'd give him the satisfaction of knowing she thought so.

Mikkos looked please, both because Sam appeared to know about her family and because it was clear she liked the popcorn, despite her attempts at covering. "You know of Sophia?"

Sam nodded. "She was your younger sister, and hated Helena, and I'm sure the feeling was mutual because Helena hates everyone, which is why she stayed away from the island. She and her husband lived in St. Petersburg until they were killed in a car accident. Because they stayed away from the family at all costs it made it easy to pass my Mom off as their daughter when you brought her to the island after your wife killed my Grandmother. Mom grew up thinking she was Alexandra Davidovitch, which she changed to Alexis Davis when she decided to stay in the states, which is why my last name is Davis and not Cassadine, thank god."

Mikkos was impressed. "You know you're history."

Sam shrugged. "I know some. I know the important bits."

"And what are the important bits?" Mikkos asked.

They didn't talk about anything more then the family's history but at least they were talking. Once the popcorn was finished and Sam had finished her milk she bid her grandfather goodnight and went back upstairs. Rather then crawling back into her own bed she crawled into bed with her mother. Talking to Mikkos had left Sam feeling the need to be as close to Alexis as she could get. Sam snuggled close and Alexis instinctively wrapped her arms around her. Safe in her mother's arms Sam sighed and closed her eyes.

"Mmmm." Alexis said in her sleep. "Sammie, you smell like Papa's popcorn."

Sam giggled, snuggled in a little more and fell fast asleep.


	18. Chapter 18

Despite how much she hated it Carly had allowed her uncle to put her on a plane back to Port Charles. She'd wanted nothing more then to be with him when he went after Sam but there was just something about him that changed when he heard that Alexis' father was involved that kept her from pushing things. During the ten-hour flight back to up state New York Carly had a lot of time to think which caused her to worry. How safe could Sam be if her uncle was this concerned? He wouldn't give her any details, and what he did tell her was too hard to believe, so she just started thinking the worst. What would she do if something happened to Sam? Ever since she'd met the tiny, dark haired, big spirited kid she'd been a huge part of Carly's life, and Carly just couldn't see her life without her now. Sam was her little sister in every way that mattered, and Carly loved the kid with all her heart.

Carly had managed not to break down from her emotions despite being alone on the plane, but as she decided the stairs from the plane to the tarmac, she felt that resolve melting. Standing by the gate was her mother and the moment the blue eyed, blonde haired, independent seventeen year old saw her mama Carly felt her eyes began to burn, and suddenly she wasn't so grown any more.

Bobbie watched the change come over her daughter and all her anger over Carly's little stunt was set aside. She walked towards her little girl as Carly rushed towards her. "It's ok baby." Bobbie said softly as she wrapped her arms around Carly.

"Sam's in real trouble, Mama." Carly said in a teary voice as she hugged her mama as tightly as she could.

"Sam's going to be just fine, honey." Bobbie said reassuringly. "I know you're worried about her, I am too, but we have to trust Luke and Jax. They'll find them and they'll bring them home safely."

Carly pulled back enough to look into her mother's eyes. She could see that her mother was just as worried as she was, but there was a bit more certainly in Bobbie's hazel eyes. "You know about this Mikkos person, don't you?"

Bobbie nodded as she reached up to caress away Carly's tears. "I was here in Port Charles the first time Luke went up against him. I can't believe he's alive."

"The moment Luke heard Jax say his name he changed." Carly said as she took the comfort her mother was offering. "I've never seen him like that, Mama, not even around Stefan and I know how much he hates Stefan."

"Under all his Cassadine-ness Stefan is a good man." Bobbie told her daughter. "And it's because he loves his family. From what I've heard of Mikkos from Luke and from Alexis, he doesn't have that silver of grace that Stefan has." She heard Carly whimper and stopped caressing her cheeks and arms to hold her face firmly in her hands. "Sam is with Alexis, Carly. Alexis isn't going to let anything happen to her. Alexis would fight, even kill, to keep her baby safe, just like I would for you, or B.J. or Lucas."

Carly looked right into her mother's eyes and could see the truth in that statement. Like it or not she had to have faith in the other people who loved Sam just as much as she loved her. Even now it was sometimes hard for Carly to remember that it wasn't just her and Sam against the world anymore. They both had families and people who loved them and would protect them against everything.

When she saw understanding and relief in her daughter's eyes Bobbie asked, "Are you feeling a little better now?"

"Yeah." Carly said softly as she leaned her face into her mother's touch. "I'm still worried but maybe not so scared. Thanks Mama."

Bobbie smiled at her daughter and then leaned in and kissed her forehead before hugging her tightly. "Good." When they pulled apart Bobbie's hands went right to her hips. "Caroline Lee Spencer what the hell were you thinking? I can't believe you snuck off like that!"

Carly was a little taken aback by the sudden shift in her mother but quickly managed to look sheepish. "I had to do something, Mama!"

"I understand that Caroline." Bobbie said firmly. "Believe me I do. Luke Spencer is my brother for pete's sake! I have first hand experience with worrying about someone I love who's in a serious situation. But running off half cocked and clueless is not the best way to handle those kinds of situations!"

"I'm a Spencer, half cocked is how we do things." Carly said with a smirk before the look in her mama's eyes made her swallow any further smartass remark. For the first time Carly saw the worry and fear in her mother's eyes and it made her feel awful. "I'm sorry, Mama. I didn't mean to scare you."

"I know you didn't mean too, Carly." Bobbie said, her voice softening but still firm. "We'll talk about it more at home."

Carly just nodded and followed her mother to the car. She felt bad for causing her mother to worry, and maybe she could have handled things differently, but people she cared about were in trouble and she had to do something. Carly didn't like feeling helpless. Feeling helpless made her reckless, and that was something she was going to have to work on.

The grounds were as stunning as the house. Nikolas and Sam were walking around trying to shake off some of the cabin fever they were both feeling. As they walked around both of them were taking in their surroundings. There were beautiful stretching lawns, towering trees, and a breathtaking view of the snow covered Alps. There was also a glittering lake that Sam was nearly salivating to get too.

"Sam." Nikolas said in a firm tone. "Aunt Alexis said we couldn't go that far."

"Go how far?" Sam asked with as much innocence as she could muster.

Nikolas smiled lovingly at his water-loving cousin. "The lake. You look like a starving dog whose chain is to short to reach the steak."

Sam looked at her cousin oddly. "You come up with the weirdest analogies." She rolled her eyes at him as they continued to walk, with her steering them towards the lake despite his reminding her of her mother's restrictions. After a few seconds passed she looked over to the older boy. "How much longer do you think he's going to keep us here, Niky?"

"I don't know, Sam." Nikolas said with a soft sigh.

"My Mom's suppose to have the baby soon." Sam said softly. She'd noticed that her mother had been a little more fatigued lately, and she'd also noticed a pinched look to her eyes from time to time. "You don't think he'll force her to have the baby here do you?" Panic and fear lit up Sam's big brown eyes. "You don't think he's going to take the baby do you? He took me Nikolas, what if he wants to take the new baby?"

Nikolas took Sam's hand in his own and held it tight. "I'm sure Grandfather isn't going to take Aunt Alexis' baby, Sam."

"You don't know that for sure." Sam protested. "He took me didn't he? He took me and he let those people keep me. He's been watching us all Nikolas he let them keep me!"

"Sam," Nikolas said softly as he stopped them and turned to look at her face to face. "How bad was it with the McCalls?"

Sam had never given her family all the details. She'd talked to Gail Baldwin, her therapist, about it all but never her family. She didn't want them looking at her differently, and she was afraid they would if they knew the truth. She was a Cassadine now, and she didn't want people thinking she was trash. She didn't know that sometimes even rich and powerful people beat up on their kids; they just didn't end up on episodes of Cops like poor trash families did. "Bad enough that he should have done something. He hates me, Nikolas."

"I don't think he does, Sam." Nikolas replied.

"No," Sam said with a shake of her head. "He does." She paused a moment and then said. "I think he loves my Mom in some weird way, and I think maybe he even loved her then. So the only reason that makes any sense for why he tossed me away was because of my father."

"Sam." Nikolas said with a gentle shake of his head. "Aunt Alexis was sixteen. He was doing what he thought was best for both of you at the time. He didn't know the truth about that clinic, no one did."

Sam shook her head. "You're mother wasn't all that much older when she had you. The only difference is that she was married to your father, and your father was the Cassadine. My Mom wasn't married and my father is… Well, he's someone, and I bet he didn't fit. I bet he wasn't good enough or something. Which means I wouldn't have been good enough."

"Have you ever asked Aunt Alexis about your father?" Nikolas asked.

Again Sam shook her head. "I have a Dad. I don't really care about who knocked my Mom up back then, though I'm glad he did."

Nikolas gave his cousin a crooked smile. "So am I." Then he laughed. "Just don't tell Aunt Alexis I said that. It sounds so crud."

Sam chuckled softly. "I'm glad you're around too, Niky."

Mikkos couldn't tell what the children were talking about but he knew it had been heated. He could also tell that Nikolas was rather skilled at defusing his younger cousin. He could see closeness in the two that reminded him of Stefan and Alexis and it touched his heart. He knew what it meant to have someone like that in one's life. Growing up he'd had it with his own sister, and there had been many times since her death that he wondered if he would have made the same choices if she'd been there to confide in.

When it seemed that the children were finished with their discussion he quickened his pace and came up behind them. "Pardon me children. Nikolas, may I have a moment?"

Sam glared at the old man as she replied, "What do you want with him?"

Nikolas put his hand on Sam's arm. "It's alright, Sam."

The girl wasn't so sure about that. She knew that Nikolas was the key figure in the Cassadine family and that all their power was tied to him. She'd heard enough of the adults in her life say that he was the key in the sick and twisted game that Helena and to a certain extent Stefan played. Should she leave him alone with yet another person who could use him just so they could get their hands on all that so-called power? "I don't know, Nik."

"He isn't a player, Sam." Nikolas said softly as if he knew his cousin's thoughts. "He's not a threat."

"How can we be sure?" Sam asked.

"We can't." Nikolas admitted. "But does he make you feel the same way Helena does?"

Sam thought about it a moment and then said, "Yes."

Nikolas looked surprised and Mikkos looked hurt. "Oh." Nikolas said. He thought about what they'd just talked about and then nodded. "I guess he would." He paused a moment and the added, "I don't."

The two cousins shared a moment and then Sam sighed. "If you're sure I'll go."

"I am." Nikolas said with a nod.

"Ok." Sam replied. She turned to look at their grandfather and then started walking back up to the house.

Once they were alone Mikkos sighed softly. "She will never forgive me."

"You can't really blame her." Nikolas said cautiously.

"No, I certain can not." Mikkos replied. He watched Sam until she was out of sight and then turned to look at his grandson. "I have made many mistakes in my life, Nikolas. I hope that you will have better luck."

As they began to walk Nikolas thought about what Sam said before. "Did you know that the people who had Samantha were cruel to her?"

Mikkos knew that Nikolas was just a boy but he also knew that someday that boy would be head of the family, he also understood that he and Samantha had a very special bond and for that reason he decided to be honest with him. "I did, and as soon as I knew the extent of it I made sure the woman was taken care of."

Nikolas looked up at him. "What does that mean?"

"What do you know of the woman's demise?" Mikkos asked.

"Just what Sam's told me." Nikolas admitted. "Her adoptive brother accidently set their house on fire and Evelyn was killed in that fire." Nikolas stopped as he thought this all out. He thought about what his grandfather had just said and then it clicked. "It wasn't Danny, was it?"

Mikkos stood tall as he said, "Perhaps it was cruel to allow the boy to shoulder the blame, but it was believable that he could have caused the fire."

Nikolas just shook his head. "Why didn't you just take Sam and give her back to Alexis?"

"It wasn't time." Mikkos said simply and then began to walk again.

"I'm sorry Grandfather," Nikolas said firmly as he looked at the man. "But who were you to make that choice? Did you even truly know Alexis then? Have you known her at all since the death of her mother?"

"If I had allowed her to keep Sam then she wouldn't be who she is now." Mikkos replied.

"You're right." Nikolas said without missing a beat. "She would have been the woman who raised her daughter from birth. She wouldn't have the missing pieces that she has now." The look on his grandfather's face asked the silent question that he answered. "They're the same pieces my Mother is missing. The events and moments of my life that she missed and can never get back." He paused a moment before adding, "You and Helena got to raise your sons, you got to raise your eldest daughter to a certain extent, you got to have those most precious of moments in a child's early life. And yet, good, loving women like my Aunt and my Mother missed out on a huge chunk of their children's lives. If anyone ever needed reassurance that the world is unfair that would be their proof."

Mikkos regarded his grandson for several long moments before saying, "You are a remarkable young man, Nikolas."

Nikolas was taken aback by the comment. It hadn't been what he was expecting. "Thank you."

"You would do well to keep looking to both your Uncle and your Aunts for guidance." Mikkos said as he once again began walking. "Stefan will teach you how to be a good Cassadine, but your Aunts will teach you how to be a good man."

"And what of my Mother?" Nikolas asked with a touch of curiosity. He knew how his grandmother felt about his mother but not his grandfather and he found himself wanting to know.

"She will teach you how to be human." Mikkos said. "She has an element that not even Alexis has."

"And what is that?" Nikolas asked, uncertain if he wanted to know the answer.

"Commonalty." Mikkos answered.

It was a Cassadine gift to both praise and insult at the same time and clearly Mikkos was a master at it. Nikolas managed not to roll his eyes, nor did he reply. He simply shook his head and continued to talk with his grandfather.

In a village, above a small market, Luke went over the details of his plan with Jax and Jerry. He explained that they would be using the manor's weekly delivery as their cover. Jerry told them what he knew of the guards and security. When they'd discovered the hidden estate Jerry had been sent to do a little recon. Jax had felt the knot in his stomach loosen a little when his brother told him he'd seen Alexis and Sam and that they both looked well. Luke on the other had turned a reddish purple when Jerry confirmed seeing Mikkos. He was still a little leery about doing this armed but he knew enough to know that Mikkos Cassadine was a dangerous man and that dangerous man had his family. Jax would do anything to get Alexis and Sam back, even give his own life it came down to it.

"You ready to do this pretty boy?" Luke asked the younger man.

Jax nodded. "I'm ready."

"Are you sure?" Luke asked. The look that the tall blue eyed, blonde haired Aussie gave him said it all. "You're sure. Ok lads, let's do this."


	19. Chapter 19

Anger and disbelief flashed in Alexis' dark eyes as she made her way to her father's study. Sam had finally managed to convince her to let her go down to the lake with Kristina, which had allowed her time to talk privately with Nikolas. As she listened to what her nephew had to say she couldn't help but feel sorry for Danny. For a boy like him it must have been so confusing, so painful to think he'd killed his own mother, and it had been her father who'd allowed the poor boy to think that. That bothered Alexis but what really fueled her anger was the fact that he'd known Sam was being abused and yet he allowed her to stay with Cody.

Alexis didn't bother knocking she just flung the door open and walked in, slamming the door behind her. When her father looked up she didn't give him time to speak. "There's a scar on the small of Sam's back, a soft pink mark that's about three inches long, and she swears up and down that she doesn't remember how she got it. Do you?"

Mikkos stood and faced his daughter as he gave a slight nod of his head.

A small whimper bubbled in the back of Alexis' throat. "What is it from?"

"A belt." Mikkos answered honestly.

The whimper was a little louder this time. "How old was she?"

"Five." Mikkos answered. "It was the last time that vile woman ever raised a hand to her."

This time the whimper was followed by a soft growl. Alexis was so angry she didn't realize she'd picked up the decanter of scotch until she was hurling it across the room. "You allowed my daughter to be abused!" She'd always suspected, part of her even knew, but to be faced with the fact of it was staggering. "You let that sick, twisted bitch hurt my child! Why didn't you do something!"

"I did." Mikkos replied. "And you know this or you wouldn't be here right now."

"You had her killed." Alexis said coldly as she advanced on her father. "But you left my little girl with her husband! You left her in danger! You should have protected her!"

"Natasha." Mikkos began but was quickly cut off.

"No! I will not listen to your excuses, or your convoluted reasoning for taking my daughter from a loving mother and leaving her alone in hell!" Alexis hissed. "You've caused us so much pain. You've done nothing but hurt me over and over since Mama died, and you've caused my daughter nothing but pain since you took her from my arms. I should wish you dead but I'm won't. Instead I want you to live with what you've done. I want you to know every waking moment of the rest of your sad, pathetic life that you caused me the worse pain I have ever felt. Having you rip my beautiful innocent little baby girl from my arms and then spending ten years in the shadows watching her suffer, that's a million times worse then watching Helena slit Mama's throat, and I will never forgive you."

"I never expected you too." Mikkos said as he looked into his daughter's angry, tear shimmering dark eyes.

Alexis was trying like hell not to shed the tears she felt welling in her eyes. She would not let him see her that way. "Then why am I here? And don't say it's to settle things. You could have handled all the legal work without revealing yourself. I want an honest answer, Father, if you're even capable of one."

Mikkos looked at his daughter for several seconds before he said, "I wanted to see you one last time."

"What do you mean one last time?" Alexis asked. There was a very confusing, very unwelcome emotion blurring the edges of her anger.

"My heart is weak, Natasha." Mikkos explained. "And it grows weaker with each passing week."

Alexis slowly sank into a nearby chair while she stared up at her father. "You're dying?"

"Not today, or tomorrow, but Nassir believes I won't see the New Year." Mikkos admitted.

So many emotions washed over her that Alexis could feel her chest get tight and her breathing quicken. She was on the verge of hyperventilating. She was more then a little shocked when she saw a brown paper lunch bag appear in front of her. She took it from her father's hand and quickly started breathing into it while she looked up at him. Kristina had been spending time with him, so had Nikolas and even Sam. They would all have to greave for him again, even her as much as she hated to admit it. When she could breath normally again she looked him right in the eyes. "You selfish son of a bitch."

That night as Alexis laid awake thinking and watching Sam who'd taken to sleeping with her, Alexis let all her memories, good and bad, wash over her. As silent tears rolled down her cheeks from the mix of emotions she hoped that she wouldn't wake her little girl. She looked down at her sleeping baby, her hand resting on her other child who was still safe from the world and it's madness, and she wondered how anyone could cause this beautiful little girl harm. How could her own father allow her, allow either of them, to hurt so much. As she lay there staring at her baby, Alexis took several deep breaths. For the first time in months her breathing felt easier, which was good because she was having some back pain and taking a few deep breaths helped. It also helped to keep her sobs at bay.

The early morning sun was just starting to turn the sky gray when the delivery vans pulled up to the back door of the manor. Several men and woman climbed out of the vans as someone threw open their back doors. Luke, Jax, and Jerry were all dressed in coveralls and wore hats as they took the baskets of food they were handed. They carried them inside and used the commotion of the delivery to slip away. Luke and Jerry were quick to draw their guns as they moved quietly through the corridors and hallways, but Jax was holding out. He didn't want Sam seeing him waving a gun around. He didn't want to scare her any more then she already was. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as they made their way through the house. They had to be careful as they made their way up to where Jerry said the bedrooms were because of the staff and guards, but each man had his own experience in sneaking around old European castles and manors that made it some what easy to avoid being detected.

Jax was a little surprised when the doorknob turned easily. He'd been expecting it to be locked. Pushing opening the door carefully with Luke and his brother covering his back, he slowly stuck his head in the room. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the woman he loved and their child asleep on the massive bed. Jax rushed over to them as Luke and Jerry closed the door behind them. "Alexis." Jax whispered as he brushed her hair from her face. "Alexis, wake up."

Alexis moaned softly. "Go away." She moaned as she snuggled with Sam. "We're sleeping."

Jax smiled. "Alexis, baby wake up."

It took a few seconds for the just awoken fog to clear from Alexis' mind but once it did she realized what was going on and her eyes flew up. " Jax?"

"Hey beautiful." Jax said just as Alexis sat up and wrapped her arms around him.

"What are you doing here?" Alexis asked as she hugged him as tightly as she could. "How did you find us?"

"Luke's obsession with all things Cassadine." Jax admitted.

When Alexis pulled away from Jax she saw Luke and Jerry standing in her room as well. She was about to say something to them when she felt Sam stir. She had a pretty good idea that no one knew the three men were here and that it would be best if that continued to be fact, so Alexis turned her attention to Sam. "Baby, Mommy needs you to be very quiet when you open your eyes."

"Why?" Sam moaned.

Alexis smiled. "Because there's a surprise, but you can't scream, ok?"

"What kind of surprise?" Sam asked as she slowly started to open her eyes. The first thing Sam saw was her Dad, which caused her eyes to open wider.

Alexis knew her daughter, which is why she clamped a hand over Sam's mouth before the girl could scream. "Sam, we don't want anyone to know Daddy's here."

"I missed you too peanut." Jax said as he pulled Sam into his arms and held her as if he would never let her go.

"As touching as this is." Luke said softly. "We don't have time for all the lovey dovey stuff right now. Where are the others?"

"In their rooms." Alexis answered. "How did you get here?"

"Delivery vans." Luke answered and then asked in return. "Did you know he was alive?"

Alexis shook her head. "Not until he walked into the room."

"She passed out." Sam informed them. "Mikkos has a doctor who looked her and the baby over."

"We're fine." Alexis told Jax when she saw the look of concern cross his face.

"I'll feel a lot better when we get you all home." Jax said as he cupped Alexis' face in his free hand. "And you to the hospital."

Alexis smiled. "We're fine, Jax. We haven't been harmed."

"This is Mom's house." Sam explained. "When she was little she lived here with Mikkos and her Mama. Mikkos has been living here since he got well."

Luke snorted. "Got well from being dead."

Alexis decided she'd better explain everything so she said, "Sam, why don't you go get Kristina and Nikolas and bring there here, but don't tell them why, ok?"

Sam nodded. "Sure, ok, but if you want to get rid of me so you can grown up talk you could just say so."

"I want to get rid of you so we can grown up talk." Alexis replied with a smirk. Once Sam was out of the room Alexis explained everything. She told them about her memories about growing up here, and how Mikkos had been treating them. She told Jax about the inheritance and some of its assets.

"So he's been watching all of you all this time?" Luke asked.

Alexis nodded.

"Even Sam?" Jax asked.

Sadness and pain flashed in Alexis' eyes. "Yes."

Before anymore could be said on the matter Kristina came into the room, shortly followed by Sam and Nikolas. With everyone together Luke explained the next step in the plan. When he was finished Alexis shook her head. "We're not going to sneak out like we're escaping from Alcatraz."

"We're not?" Luke asked with a raised brow.

Alexis shook her head. "Mikkos keeps saying this isn't our prison. I generally believe he wants this place to be a home for Kristina and me. Now's his chance to prove it."

"Natasha." Luke began to protest but she cut him off.

Alexis didn't give him a chance to argue about this. She simply got up, with Jax's help, and headed into her bathroom to get dressed. As she walked across the room she told the others to get ready as well. While Alexis was getting cleaned up and changed she tried really hard to ignore the pain in her back. Sam had been snuggled so close to her during the night she'd been afraid to move, her whole body was stiff from it, and yet some of the tension she'd been carrying around since waking up in here had melted away at the sight of Jax. So many nights during this whole ordeal she'd fallen into a restless sleep thinking of him and wishing he were there. She smiled at the thought of how he seemed too magically appear as she opened her eyes just a little while ago.

"Alexis." Jax said softly as he came into the bathroom. "Are you sure you're alright?"

Alexis turned to look at the man she loved and tears welled in her eyes. "I'm fine."

Jax didn't say anything. He just went to her and pulled her into his arms and held her.

Alexis clung to him and finally let her tears flow. She didn't let all of her emotions out, but she let enough go that she cried for several minutes. "He wanted to say goodbye." She said softly. "His heart is weak, or at least that's what he said, and the whole reason he brought us here was to say goodbye. I know he's telling the truth, Jax, and despite that I still can't bring myself to forgiven him. Does that make me a horrible person? My father is dying and I can't forgive him for hurting us the way he did."

"No." Jax said as he wiped her tears. "No, that doesn't make you a horrible person. It makes you human."

Downstairs in the dinning room Mikkos was waiting on his family to join him for breakfast. He was of course well aware of their visitors but saw no reason to be alarmed. Though they did not appear to be, his men were armed. He also believed that despite their troubles Alexis would not allow her 'rescuers' to do him any harm. He had hoped that he and his beloved Natasha could come to terms with their issues, but now he understood the girl would need more time. When the doors opened and his beautiful daughter stood at their threshold he looked up to her and smiled. "Come in and sit, Natasha. Breakfast will be served shortly and there will be plenty for everyone. I look forward to sharing a meal with your young man."

Alexis looked surprised at her father's revelation. "How did you know?"

"A man such as myself must always be well aware of who and what is around him." Mikkos answered as he stood. "Now, come in, everyone, and have a seat."

Jax didn't see any reason to continue lingering out of sight since it was clear their presence was known. He stepped up behind Alexis and put his hand on the small of her back as he looked at the old man at the head of the table.

Mikkos smiled his most charming smile. "Ah Mr. Jacks. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Mr. Cassadine." Jax replied as he gave the man a slight nod of his head in greeting.

Alexis started to say something when Mikkos held up his hand. "After breakfast is finished I will have a car sent around to take you all to the air field. All I ask is for one last meal, Natasha."

"Funny." Luke said as he came into the room. "I thought I was the only one allowed to call her that. I'm a little hurt."

Mikkos looked at the man whose face was the last thing he saw before he froze to his temporary death. When he had first met Luke Spencer he had seen a great amount of potential in the young man, if only he had been able to see things his way he would have welcome the young man as an apprentice of sorts. "Time has been good to you Mr. Spencer."

"You haven't done so bad for yourself, Mikkos." Luke replied. "Death becomes you."

Sam groaned. "Those jokes have got to be getting old."

Alexis shot her daughter a look and was surprise to see Nikolas smirking. Ok, Sam had a point; the death jokes were getting a little lame.

Mikkos chuckled. "I'm afraid Sam dear that bad puns are a side effect of my aliment."

"You make death and resurrection sound like athlete's foot." Luke said as he continued to keep his gaze on the man. He didn't trust Mikkos Cassadine any more then he trusted the madman's insane wife.

"Shall we serve now, Master Mikkos?" Elsa asked after stepping into the door from the kitchen's connecting door.

"As soon as everyone is seated, Elsa, thank you." Mikkos replied and then once again waved at the table.

"You always did have a thing for dinner parties." Luke commented.

Nikolas, Sam and Kristina looked to Alexis yet again for instructions. Alexis glanced at Jax and then gave them a slight nod. They all took their seats but Luke and Jerry were more then a little reluctant.

"I am quite sure my daughter has explained the significance of this house, gentlemen." Mikkos said as he looked up at them after taking his own seat. "I will not dishonor that with violence or deception."

The men were still hesitant but eventually took their seats. After everyone was seated the servants began serving breakfast. Luke's gaze shifted from Mikkos to his surroundings. He took everything and everyone in. So many years ago he endured a formal dinner party with Mikkos, Laura, and many others while Mikkos tried to make him see things his way. He wasn't drinking the Cassadine kool-aide back then and he wasn't drinking it now.

"I must say Mr. Jacks, that I was rather pleased with the dossier I had done on you, at least financially." Mikkos said as he prepared the food on his plate to his personally liking. "You will certainly be able to provide for my daughter her children."

"I hear a but in there somewhere." Jax replied.

Mikkos looked up and grinned. "Indeed you do. I am concerned with some of your more personal choices."

"Father." Alexis warned.

"I merely wish to look out for your well being, Natasha." Mikkos replied.

Alexis shook her head. "You lost that privilege a long time ago."

Deciding that this line of conversation could go very bad very quickly Kristina cut in. "Father, what will you do after we've left?"

Mikkos smiled at the girl. Even though he'd only known her for a short time he could see that she brought a radiant light to the lives of his family. "I will continue as I have since my revival." He gave her a warm smile. "Don't worry about me, Kristina. I will be fine."

She returned the smile. "You could always come back with us, to Port Charles."

Alexis looked at her sister as if she'd just grown a second head or spouted polka dots all over her skin. Luke glared at her. Sam and Nikolas just looked surprised.

"A very gracious and touching offer, one made from a pure heart, like your mother's." Mikkos said with a touch of sadness in his eyes. "But, it would be impossible for me to do so because no one must know I am still alive."

"Why?" Sam asked before she could stop herself.

Mikkos looked at his granddaughter as he explained, "Helena must never know of this place or that I am alive. She would be less then happy if she were ever to find out, and an unhappy Helena is a dangerous Helena."

"A breathing Helena is a dangerous Helena." Luke said with a snort before adding, "There's also the small matter of the WSB. I'm sure they'd be more then interested in knowing you're alive and well."

"Yes." Mikkos replied. "I suppose they would, and since you seem to have my daughter's best interests at heart, I know you will not be informing them."

"What makes you think I haven't already told them?" Luke asked.

"Because you believe the Cassadines are your personal fight." Mikkos answered. "And, as I said, you care about Natasha and wouldn't harm her in anyway."

While her father and Luke played verbal ping-pong Alexis felt herself slipping into a sea of conflicting emotions. She wanted nothing more than to go home, to forget this whole experience ever happened, and yet somehow allowing her father to die here alone didn't sit well with her. Alexis looked up at her father, catching his gaze and holding it. Deep in the shadows of his soul she could see a glimmer, a flicker of the man she'd once known. Maybe, maybe if she reached out for him, stretched her grasp as far as it would go, she could pull him back to her, pull her Papa out of the shadows.

Mikkos smiled at his beloved Natasha. That look in her eyes, that look that told him she still loved her papa, was all he needed. "Go home, be happy, my beautiful Natasha."

The cabin of Jax's private jet was eerily quite. Jax, Alexis, and Sam sat together on one of the couches, Kristina and Nikolas in chairs close to them, and Luke lurked near the drinks cart. With the emotional highs everyone was on, the unease and uncertainty of it all, the disbelief everyone was feeling at how they were all just able to leave, no one noticed Jerry was no longer with them. Even now everyone was so lost in thought they didn't miss him. Before leaving Kristina had hugged her father, the only one to show him any physical affection. Nikolas shook his hand. Sam and Alexis were both torn over their goodbyes, with Sam completely holding out. Alexis spoke with her father privately. She confirmed that she would always love the man he had been with her mother in that house, and that was enough for them both.

"Perhaps," Mikkos said before kissing her forehead. "We will see each other again."

Maybe they would, Alexis thought as she played with the Cassadine medallion handing around her neck. It was going to take a long time for her to sort out her feelings, but that would have to wait. A sharp tight pain rocked Alexis, causing her to see spots before her eyes as she cried out.

"Alexis?" Jax asked, concern flooding his every cell.

"No, no no!" Alexis said as she shook her head. "We're 30,000 feet over the freaking ocean!"

"Alexis what's wrong?" Kristina asked as she rushed closer to her sister.

Huge brown eyes darted around the room before settling on Jax and just as Alexis was about to tell them what was wrong Sam asked, "Mom, why are you pants all wet?"


	20. Chapter 20

An old black sedan pulled up to the doors of the abandoned and long since forgotten abbey. Mikkos stepped out onto the cobbles and looked around before making his way inside. There were guards posted who nodded as he made his way down the long hall to a formal sitting room. Moments after his arrival several of his guards brought in the man who was currently enjoying Mikkos' hospitality in the form of a locked room within the abbey. He found it fitting that the nuns who once called this place home called the small nearly windowless rooms cells. When the two men were left a lone Mikkos turned to face the man. "I hope your comfortable Mr. Jacks."

Jerry smirked. His hands were shackled in front of him, but the chain on the cuffs was long enough to grant him some movement, just not enough to do any harm, so he was able to accept the drink Mikkos handed him. "I've been in worse places."

"Yes. I would imagine you have." Mikkos replied as he glared at the man. "It has been a long time since last we spoke. You look very different."

"Yeah, little accident in a rally car. Bad burns almost died." Jerry said with narrow eyes. "Wouldn't know how the old girl managed to catch fire do you?"

Mikkos simply shook his head. "Why would I?" He paused, but not long enough to give Jerry time to speak. "Do you know why you are here, Mr. Jacks?"

"I've a pretty good idea." Jerry replied.

"Good, that makes this easier. You must understand, Mr. Jacks, that I can't have you interfering." Mikkos said, her voice low and threatening.

"I wasn't going to." Jerry replied, a flicker of anger in his eyes.

Mikkos looked the man over the way a lion might look upon a dug beetle. "Lets make sure you don't, because I know the temptation may weaken your resolve over time." He have the man a hard glare before continuing. "I'm rather impressed with the way you've handled Helena. We might be able to work something out that is beneficial for everyone."

Jerry smirked at that. "Are you offering me a job, Mr. Cassadine?"

"Offering, no." Mikkos replied. "Offering implies you have a choice. Like I said, I can't have you interfering. Your brother is by far the better man, my daughter loves him, and I will make sure she gets what she wants and what she wants is the happy family she hasn't had since her mother's death, and she wants that family with Jasper."

"You're right." Jerry admitted. "Jax is the better man and he'll make her and Sam happy. I would never interfere with that." The two men looked at each other for several long minutes, a quite understanding passing between them. "So what's the job?"

"It's rather simple really." Mikkos answered. "I want you to kill Luke Spencer."

That surprised Jerry for some reason. "Old hurt feelings over his blowing your world domination plan to hell?"

"Perhaps that is a small factor." Mikkos admitted. "But no, his death will be a gift."

"To who?" Jerry asked. "Not Alexis because she's kind of fond of him."

"My son." Mikkos replied. "Stefan is in love with Laura and as long as Luke Spencer is around my son will never know the happiness his sister has found."

Jerry stared at the man for moment. "Mate, you are the one hell of a twisted father."

Almost everyone in the cabin of Jax's private jet was freaking out and/or panicking. After spending a couple of weeks being forcibly held at the Austrian home of her parents, a very pregnant Alexis was in early labor. The stress of coming face to face with her thought to be dead father, the emotional storm she'd gone through reliving old memories and finding out harsh truths had just been to much. Looking back when this was all said and done she would realize that the back pain she was having was back labor and that she should have never gotten on the plane. But now wasn't the time for logical thinking, now was the time for freaking the hell out! They were 30,000 feet in the air, hours away from land, and not a single medical person in sight. Who did she have with her that could deal with this? She had her corporate raiding boyfriend; her eighteen year old wanna be rock star sister, her twelve year old adventure loving daughter, her fourteen year old princely nephew, and Luke freaking Spencer!

Thank god for Luke freaking Spencer. While everyone else was acting as if the plane were going down he'd grabbed the satellite phone and called the first person that came to mind. Then he shoved the phone at the only person who wasn't two seconds from a total melt down.

"What?" Kristina said as she looked at the phone and Luke with confusion.

"Talk." Luke said. "She'll help you through this."

"Oh." Kristina took the phone and said a quite, "Hello?"

"Krissy, tell me what's happening with Alexis." Bobbie's voice demanded over the line.

The girl closed her eyes, relaxed, and let out a long breath. "Her water broke and she's having contractions."

"Let me speak with her." Bobbie said. Once she had Alexis on the line she began asking detailed questions that only a woman going through labor could answer. Several minutes later Jax was carrying Alexis back to the small sleeping cabin, leaving Sam and Nikolas with Luke, while Kristina followed as she continued talking to Bobbie.

Of course Sam wanted to go as well so she darted after them only to be snatched up by Luke. "Let me go! I want to be with my Mom! I have to be with my Mom!"

"Easy there Slick." Luke said as he easily held on to the girl. "Trust me kid you do not want to see what's about to happen back there. It ain't gonna be pretty, darlin'. Let Jax and Kris handle it. Your Mom's going to be fine."

"Luke's right, Sammie." Nikolas said as Luke sat his cousin on the couch beside him. "Bobbie will help them through this. The best thing we can do for Aunt Alexis is stay out the way."

In the back cabin of the plane Kristina was listening carefully to Bobbie's instructions, relaying some of them to Jax, who jumped on each one. He gathered up clean towels, a top of the line first aid kit, which he had because of the countless times he'd rescued a bloody and broken Jerry, and a paper bag because of course Alexis would choose now to hyperventilate.

"Alexis you need to calm down." Kristina said firmly. "That isn't helping."

Alexis breathed into the bag, inflating and deflating it in quick bursts, while glaring at her sister with narrow, annoyed dark eyes. Alexis was in fact telling her eyes off with that look but rather then making Kristina feel scolded it made the girl laugh. That just made the glare worse.

"She's right sweetheart." Jax said as she got on the bed with her, pulling her into his arms. "You need to calm down.

Alexis took the bag away from her face long enough to say, "This is all your fault! You and that damn roguish smile and that damn accent telling me I need to loosen up and be more spontaneous!"

"You threw the popcorn first." Jax said with a laugh.

"Yeah well you're the one who fished it out of my cleavage!" Alexis argued.

"And I really don't need to know any more details thank you." Kristina said, quickly cutting that conversation off before she was scared for life. She and Jax spent several more minutes calming her sister down, and then she went back to following Bobbie's instructions. It felt as it everything was happening far to slowly and way to fast all at the same time. Jax and Kristina kept Alexis calm, while Bobbie kept Kristina calm and focused over the phone. Then suddenly, after a lot of painful contracts, a lot of yelling and swearing, Kristina saw something. "Bobbie, it's the head, I think it's the head."

"Good, that's good Krissy." Bobbie reassured. "Now, this is what I want you to do. Have Alexis breath, have her apply a little pressure but do not let her push, not yet. We want the head to clear slowly."

"Ok." Kristina said as she looked up at her sister to rely what Bobbie said. She was going to have a sore neck from holding the phone with her shoulder and all the odd angles she was twisting to see Alexis, and see what she was doing, but it would be worth it. She was delivering her new niece or nephew!

When the baby's head was clear Kristina's heart stopped. She lowered her voice, not waiting Alexis to hear. "Bobbie. The umbilical cord, it's around the neck."

"Ok, stay calm, gently slide your fingers under it and slipped it over the baby's head." Bobbie said soothingly. She was sitting on the sofa in her living room with Carly pacing the floor behind her. If she weren't so focused on getting Kristina through this she would have snapped at the nervous teen to sit down, because she was starting to make Bobbie feel edgy.

"What's going on?" Alexis demanded. "Kristina?"

"It's fine, Alexis." Kristina said after putting the phone down so she could hold the baby's head in one hand, and use her other to remove the cord. "Get ready to push soon, ok?" Her hand trembled as she tugged on the cord enough to get some slack and then carefully pulled it from around the baby's neck, and over it's head. Her heart refused to beat until it was finished. Then she snatched up the phone and said, "Ok, ok, I got it."

"Good girl." Bobbie praised. "Now, gently stroke down the baby's nose. This will help clear away the mucus and fluid. Then with both hands angle the baby's head downward and get Alexis to push."

Kristina nodded as if Bobbie could see her. She set the phone aside once more, used both hands to hold the baby's head, angled it and said, "Alexis, push!"

"Push sweetheart." Jax encouraged. "You're doing great, wife. We're almost there. Push!"

"I am pushing!" Alexis snapped at him while she bore down and grunted. Jax was behind her, pressing her forward a bit as she pushed, and holding her thighs up and apart. She had her hand in his, crushing his fingers, and the other hand digging into the skin on back of her thigh. She pushed, she cried out, and when she couldn't do it anymore she leaned back against Jax and panted.

It took another push to get the baby's shoulders out but once that happened the baby practically slipped from her mother's body. "It's a girl!"

Alexis fell back against Jax with tears in her eyes. "A girl." She said happily. "A baby girl."

Kristina cleared out the airways just like Bobbie told her, but the baby didn't cry. She gave it a little nudge, a little slap, to startle it, but the baby didn't cry. Panic rose quickly in everyone's chests.

"What's wrong?" Alexis demanded. "Why isn't she crying? Kristina!"

The girl quickly snatched up the phone, her panic and tears clouding her voice. "Bobbie! Bobbie! She isn't crying! She isn't breathing!"

"Calm down, Kristina." Bobbie said as her own emotions threatened to over take her. "Do exactly what I say."

"Kristina!" Alexis demanded as she tried to movie, tried to see what was happening. "Kristina!"

Kristina ignored her sister while doing what Bobbie was telling her. She opened the baby's airways; she blew a gentle breath into her lungs, she compressing her little chest. Seconds felt like hours, a minute felt like a lifetime, and then suddenly the baby stirred and let out a soft cry that steadily grew louder, stronger. Kristina wrapped the baby in the clean warm towels and placed her in Alexis' arms.

"Hello." Alexis said softly as she looked down into the face of her new born daughter. "Hello baby. Oh look at you. You're so perfect. Don't you ever scare me like that again!"

The sound of a baby crying had Sam on her feet in flash but Luke still wouldn't let her go back, not until Jax came to get her. When she was finally allowed in she saw her mom lying on the bed with the baby in her arms. Pure joy washed through Sam, but so did a little flicker of jealousy.

"Sammie." Alexis said softly. "Come meet your baby sister."

"A sister?" Sam said as she guardedly came closer to the bed.

Alexis was beaming as she nodded. "Just like you asked for."

Sam smiled as she stood at the side of the bed and looked at the baby, her little face, and smiled. In that instant Sam knew that this little girl would be one of the most important people in her life. As gently as she could Sam got on the bed to sit beside her mom and new sister. "Hi. I'm your sister, Sam." She reached out with a gentle finger and brushed it against the tiniest fist she'd ever seen. "And I'm gonna look out for you, I promise."

Fresh tears welled in Alexis' eyes as she put her free arm around her eldest daughter, pulling her as close as she could, so she could cuddle for the first time with both of her daughter, her girls.

When the plane landed in Port Charles Bobbie, Carly and an ambulance was waiting on the tarmac for them. They quickly loaded Alexis and the baby into the ambulance and rushed them to General Hospital. Everyone but Luke that is, because he'd used the commotion to slip away. He had unfinished business in Austria to take care of. The baby was a little early but over all she was fine. There was a rattle in her chest that had the doctor choosing to keep her for a few days, and since Alexis was exhausted they would be keeping her as well.

"She needs a name." Jax said softly as he crouched beside Alexis who sat in a wheel chair by the incubator her baby was in. Bobbie had reassured her that it was just a safety precaution.

Her baby could have died if not for the quick, calm, thinking and actions of two people. Alexis knew what her baby's name would be. "She has one."

Jax laughed. "Care to fill me in?"

Alexis reached in and put her finger into her baby's little grasp. "Kristina Jean Jacks-Davis."


	21. Chapter 21

Of course when Luke got back to Austria Mikkos was long gone. The old man must have known that he'd come back for him. He lingered for a few days to see if he could pick up Mikkos' trail, but the man had vanished like the ghost he was. He had no doubt that in time Mikkos would return, but he couldn't linger in Austria too long waiting him out. He followed a few leads but in the end he ended up back in Port Charles, just in time to attend the christening of Alexis' new daughter.

It hadn't been all that long ago that Stefan had talked her into having Sam baptized. It was family tradition after all, as was the addition of a second middle name, normally linked to the father, or in this case the Cassadine parent because Jax and Alexis both agreed that Jasperovna sounded weird. After all, despite what she called herself, Stefan reminded her that she had been christened Natasha Alexandra Mikkosovna. Alexis said she would agree to it if he agreed to be Sam's godfather, which he accepted feeling very honored and humbled that she would ask. So Sam had been christened Samantha Kristin Alexisovna after Alexis had decided who would be Sam's godmother. She had thought about asking Kristina, but in the end she went with the one person who had already stepped up and fulfilled so many of the qualities a godparent is responsible for; she asked Carly. This time with Jax's help they picked Jerry and because she'd become a huge part of their lives in so many ways, Bobbie. Alexis found it amusing to watch her brother struggle with how entangled the Spencers were becoming with his family, and she found it even more amusing that he blamed her and Sam for it.

Their family and closest friends watched from the pews of the tiny chapel on Spoon Island as the priest christened Kristina Jean Alexisovna Jacks-Davis in an Orthodox ceremony. Once the ceremony was over everyone made their way up to Wyndemere for a small celebration. The day had been an odd mix of Cassadines, Spencers, and Jacks and the only ones who didn't seem to notice the awkwardness of it all were the kids. Alexis spent the afternoon with her daughters and Jax, mingling and visiting with their guests while at the same time keeping a careful eye on Luke and Stefan, and avoiding the urge to go around checking parapet railings.

Several days after the joyous celebrations for his new niece Jerry put the first phase of his plan into motion. He needed to gain Luke's trust and the fastest way to do that was to gain his sister's. So one night on her way home from the hospital Jerry managed to 'run in to' Bobbie as he was dropping down from a fire escape.

"Date gone bad?" Bobbie asked with a soft laugh as she held up the shoe that had fallen on her from the sky.

"Nothing like that." Jerry replied with his most charming smile. "A date with me never goes badly."

"Is that so?" Bobbie asked as she gave him a questioning but playful look.

Jerry nodded, "Let me pick you up Friday night and I'll show you."

Bobbie was surprised by the sudden offer and she hoped that it didn't show on her face. "Jerry Jacks, did you just ask me out?"

"Yes, I did." Jerry said, his smile at full force. "I've always had a weakness for redheads."

Since her divorce from Tony Bobbie had been focused on her children, on her work, maybe, well, maybe it would be fun to take the dashing playboy up on his offer. She gave him a coy smile, a title of her head, and then said, "Eight o'clock."

"I'll be there." Jerry replied.

For the first couple of weeks life was pretty hectic and full around the lakehouse. John and Lady Jane had been in town to meet their newest granddaughter. Everyone who considered themselves even remotely friendly with Alexis or Jax came by to see baby Kristina. On top of that everyone kept asking about the ordeal they had gone through. It was all a little overwhelming. Since no one could know about Mikkos the story they were telling everyone was that a former employee of Mikkos had arranged the whole thing, and much to Alexis' surprise one of Mikkos' men did take the fall so the WSB wouldn't look to closely at things. That didn't set well with Alexis, but rather than dealing with it she just added it to the pile of other things she wasn't dealing with.

Alexis was sitting on the couch in her living room with baby Kristina in her arms, watching Sam who was sitting on her knees by the coffee table working on something for Gail who was helping the girl work through the newest traumatic experience in her life, when there was a knock on the door. Alexis smiled as she saw her brother standing on the other side. "Come in Stefan the door's unlocked."

"Is that wise?" Stefan asked as he entered his sister's home.

As if to answer his question Sam's cat hissed at him from under the coffee table, which made Alexis laugh. "It's fine we have an attack cat."

Stefan simply raised an eyebrow at that. After spending several minutes with his nieces he finally asked to speak with Alexis alone. She nodded, and then excused herself to put the baby down after asking Sam if she'd take her assignment to her room and finish it. "Samantha has gone back to Gail Baldwin? Is she alright?"

"She's fine." Alexis reassured her brother. "I just want to make sure she has what she needs to work through what happened to us."

"What happened is what I need to speak with you about." Stefan said honestly. "I have been unable to locate Father. He is no longer at the Austrian estate."

"I'm not surprised that he's laying low right now." Alexis said honestly. "Luke knows he's alive, and I'm sure he thinks you aren't thrilled with what happened."

Yes, Mikkos had a reason to be leery of Stefan. His so-called good intentions had put Alexis and the children at risk. If Helena were to ever hear of this it would surely ignite her wrath like never before. "Have you spoken to Mikkos since your release?"

Alexis shook her head. "No, and I don't expect to, at least not for awhile."

"But you do suspect that he will get in contact again?" Stefan asked.

She had to think that over. Would Mikkos risk it? If what he said about dying was true, than yes she expected to hear from him, because no one when faced with their own death wishes to do so alone. "Yes, I think he'll be in touch."

"And you will inform me if he does so?" Stefan asked, his uncertainly clear in his voice.

"Of course, Stefan." Alexis replied as she looked at him oddly. "Why wouldn't I?"

"You agreed to keep his secret." Stefan replied. "You are protecting him."

"What good would it do to hand a dying man over to the WSB when they already think he's dead?" Alexis asked her brother before ducking his gaze.

Stefan watched her for a long moment before responding. "Then you believe this was some kind of end of life atonement?"

"Yes." Alexis said and then shook her head. "No. I don't know, Stafen. I want to believe it was." She looked so torn as she walked over to snatch a bottle of water from the drinks table just to have something to do. "I want to believe every word he said to me, not because of the man who threw you and me to the lions when we were children, not because of the man who ripped my child from arms, but because of the man who would waltz my mother around the music room, the man who would pull me into the saddle with him for a Sunday afternoon run on his favorite horse, the man who would smuggle fresh cookies out of the kitchen in the pockets of his dinner jacket."

Stefan stood there watching his sister, listening to the way she spoke of their father, and it was clear she'd known a man Stefan never had. "I envy you." He admitted. "I have no memories of a loving father."

"You could have." Alexis said softly. "If not for Helena."

Stefan raised an inquisitive eyebrow at that. "How so?"

Alexis bit her lip. She hadn't planned on ever mentioning it, but since she'd loosened the knot on the bag she might as well let the cat out. "According to Father it wasn't just Kristina's birth that finally drove Helena to murder our mother. Mikkos was going to leave her, and he was going to take his sons with him."

Stefan's eyes widened but that was the only real response he allowed his sister to see. "He told you this?"

"He told Kristina." Alexis explained. "I overheard. I wasn't very respective to anything he had to say. And she ever knew him for the man he would become."

"She is always looking for the smallest bit of good in everyone." Stefan said softly with an understanding nod.

Alexis nodded. The siblings were quiet for several long minutes, lost in their own thoughts. When Alexis finally broke the silence her voice was so soft it was almost hard to hear. "I keep thinking about what it could have been like. I don't want to, I don't want to think about what ifs, but I can't stop myself. How different our lives would have been Stefan. I could have had you as my brother my whole life, we could have grown up with Kristina."

"A happy fantasy for sure, Alexis, but a fantasy nonetheless." Stefan said, pulling his sister back to reality.

Alexis smiled at her brother, giving him a slight nod that said she knew it didn't do any good taking flights of fancy into a past that never happened and never could, but she would mourn the loss of it just the same. Before their conversation could continue there was another knock on the door. Alexis looked past her brother and called out, "Come in."

"Hi." Laura greeted with a soft but bright smile. "I know I'm a little early I hope I'm not interrupting."

Alexis saw the way her brother lit up at the sight of Laura Spencer. Talk about clinging to a fantasy. "No, no it's alright. I'm not sure if Sam's ready yet though."

"There's no rush." Laura reassured. "I just thought it might be nice to take kids to look for costume pieces before rehearsal." When Stefan gave her a familiar look that asked for an explication she answered, "Their doing an act together for the Nurses' Ball."

"Oh, yes, I believe Nikolas mentioned that." Stefan said with a nod.

Laura continued to smile at him. "They're all really excited about it."

"I'll just go get Sam." Alexis said since she was clearly no longer in the room anyway.

"I'm really glad you're letting Nikolas do this." Laura said softly as she took a few steps closer to Stefan.

Stefan almost smiled. "He enjoyed himself last year when he and Sam preformed, and it is for a good cause. It's important he understands the role that philanthropy will play in his position."

"It's important for him to understand what being a child is." Laura replied. "I'm grateful you've allowed him to explore that."

"I had little choice in the matter." Stefan said matter of factly. "My niece's decree that I, lighten up, was not easily ignored."

Laura laughed and Stefan brightened. Alexis worried. "Alright, all ready to go." She announced as she and Sam came into the room. "Sam, be good, listen to Mrs. Spencer, got it?"

"Yes Mom." Sam groaned.

"Would it be alright if Sam came to Kelly's with us afterwards?" Laura asked after giving Sam a huge smile and putting her around the girl's shoulders.

Alexis nodded. "That's fine. Have fun."

Once they were alone again Stefan turned to his sister who was giving him an odd look. "What?"

"What what?" Alexis replied.

"The look you were giving me." Stefan replied.

"Look? What look? There was no look." Alexis replied with a sweet and somewhat innocent smile.

There was a slight standoff but Alexis refused to budge so Stefan gave in. "I need to return to the island. I have some work to finish. If you hear from Father…"

"I'll let you know. I promise." Alexis said with a nod. Once she was alone Alexis sank onto her sofa and sighed. Would her brother ever find happiness or would he spend his life longing for a woman he could never have? There had to be a woman out there who could make her brother happy, there just had to be. Alexis bit her lip and then suddenly laughed. She was starting to think like Kristina, as if there was an optimistic outcome around every corner.


	22. Chapter 22

The Nurses' Ball was as grand and as elegant as it was every year. It was the only time of the year where Sam didn't mind getting all girly and dressing up in a fancy dress. She even liked going to the spa with her mom and her aunt to get all pampered and primped. But the best part of the whole thing was how much fun she had. Last year she and Nikolas put their formal dancing lessons to good use by performing a waltz with Nikolas wearing a Russian imperial uniform befitting the little prince he was, and Sam in a matching princess ball gown and tiara while Kristina sang Journey to the Past and Once Upon a December because both girls were annoyingly obsessed with the animated Anastasia movie.

This year she, Lucky, Nikolas, and Emily were the leads in a Guys and Dolls dance melody that had her a little nervous because of all the dancing. They'd practiced for weeks with Bobbie as their teacher and Sam felt pretty confident until she started putting on her costume and was hit with a sudden case of stage fright.

"I think I'm going to throw up." Sam said as she sat down and bent over so her head was on her knees.

"It's going to be fine, Sam." Emily reassured as she rubbed her friend's back. "Take some deep breaths. You know this, you'll be great."

Emily was always so sweet and so understanding. Sometimes Sam really wanted to slug her. After a few deep breaths and some encouragement from Bobbie Sam finished getting ready and took her place in the wings waiting for her cue. Since they were always sent home before the end of the night Sam couldn't help but wonder about things that happened after they'd all gone. Leaning over to Emily she whispered, "Do you think Ms. Cole really does always end up in her underwear?"

The other girl snorted and then covered her nose and mouth to cover up a laugh. Her reply was cut off by the start of the music. As the kids danced their way through their number, aside from thinking about how cute her little girl was, and how good Sam was at dancing, Alexis couldn't stop the groan when she realized they were doing scenes from a show about racketeers and conmen. But Alexis was willing to over look the whole gangster theme because Sam was just to damn cute dressed like a Guy rather than a Doll, complete with suspenders, tie, and fedora.

As soon as the number was over the kids all ran off stage to Bobbie who'd been waiting in the wings. "You guys were great!" She praised as she hugged each of them. "I'm so proud of you!"

"Bobbie! Bobbie!" Amy squeaked out as she ran up to Bobbie and the kids. "You're Dancing Queen bit is up after Alan's number!"

When Sam and Nikolas got back to the Cassadine table their family was just as full of congratulations and pride. Alexis was beaming as she wrapped her arms around Sam and held the girl while kissing her cheek. "You were so cute!"

"Mom." Sam groaned as she wiped her mother's lipstick from her cheek. "I'm to old to be cute."

After her annual dance number Bobbie changed back into her dress and returned to the table where Jerry was waiting for her. It had been unexpected and if she were honest with herself, it wasn't going to go anywhere, but Bobbie had to admit she was having a good time with Jerry.

"Do you think that's a good idea?" Alexis asked Jax as she watched Bobbie and Jerry two tables over.

"Is what a good idea?" Jax asked as he turned his attention to where Alexis was looking.

"Bobbie and Jerry." Alexis replied.

Jax smiled as he watched the couple for a moment and then shrugged his shoulders. "She isn't normally the kind of woman he goes for, but who knows, maybe she'll be good for him, and lord knows she could use a little fun after Dr. Jones."

"I just don't want to see her get hurt." Alexis said with a soft sigh. "She's become a really good friend to me, and Sam adores her, and she helped save Krissy's life."

"Would it make you feel better if I talked to Jerry?" Jax asked as he turned to smile at his past and hopefully someday future wife.

Alexis nodded. "Would you?"

"Anything for you wife." Jax replied before leaning close for a soft kiss. During the next break in the acts Jax went looking for his big brother. If he were honest with himself he'd admit he had his own misgivings about Jerry and Bobbie. Bobbie was a single mom with three kids, and Jerry was, well, he was Jerry. He was reckless and irresponsible and never up to anything good. Not exactly husband or father martial that was for damn sure. "Enjoying yourself brother?"

"Immensely." Jerry said with a grin as he accepted two drinks from the bartender. "I can see why you like it here so much."

Jax smiled, placed an order for drinks for himself and Alexis, and then turned to his brother and asked. "What the hell are you up to?"

"Up to?" Jerry repeated.

"Yeah, with Bobbie." Jax demanded. "What do you think you're doing?"

Jerry looked insulted and rightfully so. "I think I'm enjoying the company of a wonderful woman."

"She is a wonderful woman." Jax agreed. "And she means a great deal to my wife and daughter, and to me too. I don't want to see her hurt, Jerry."

"Why do you assume I'm going to hurt her?" Jerry demanded.

Jax hesitated but then decided to just say it. "Because you're the love 'em and leave 'em type, Jerry. You show them a great time, you make them feel special, and then you take off. That's just who you are."

"That use to be who you were too little brother." Jerry told him, his voice low; he was feeling defensive at his brother's words, which kind of surprised him. "But you changed, you found someone to change for, why can't I?"

"Because I don't think you really want to." Jax admitted.

Jerry stood there and glared at Jax for a moment before saying, "Who knows little brother maybe I'll just surprise you."

Carly had already done one skit earlier in the evening at the start of the show. She and her five-year-old sister B.J. had done the cutest version of Me and My Shadow Port Charles had ever seen. She would have been happy just doing that simple little number with B.J. and then spending the rest of the evening enjoying the show, but then her best friend had to go and sprain her ankle, and since it was to late to find a new act, Carly found herself stepping in for Kristina. So there she was dressed like a fairytale princess gliding around the stage singing Someday My Prince Will Come, twirling until she found herself face to face with Jason dressed as the Prince. There's a pause, some dialog, she tries to flee but he catches her, another pause and then the music shifts to Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful. It was not something either of them would do themselves, but they both would do absolutely anything for Kristina, obviously.

"You were beautiful, honey." Bobbie gushed as she hugged Carly once the teen returned to their tale.

Carly crinkled her nose. "It would have been better with Kristina."

"No, it was perfect." Kristina said as she made her way closer on crutches. "Thanks for doing that for me. I owe you one."

"A big one." Carly said with a laugh before the two slowly wandered off.

Several days later the music in Luke's club was playing even though the club was closed. Luke always had it going when he was there. He was working behind the bar when the door opened. He was about to call out that they were closed when his sister's new boy toy walked in. He was on the fence about Jerry Jacks. He didn't really trust him. Something about the man just prickled at Luke like a burr on a donkey's butt. As the dark haired man came up to the bar Luke gave him his best bartender's smile. "What can I do for P.C.'s second favorite Aussie?"

"Well mate, it's not so much about what you can do for me, but what I can do for you." Jerry said as he pulled a photograph out of his pocket and set it on the bar. "Do you know what those are?"

Luke picked up the picture and looked it over for several seconds before looking at the man standing across from him. "The Seven Sisters?"

Jerry smiled. "Seven flawless uncut diamonds meant for King Leopold of Belgium but never arrived. Lost and allusive, and worth a small fortune."

"I've had my eye on these for years." Luke admitted. "Got close twice."

"Third times a charm." Jerry replied as he pulled more papers from his pocket. "I've managed to get this far. I was hoping you'd be able to take this little endeavor even further."

Luke looked the papers over for several minutes before looking up and asking, "Why? Why go after the Seven Sisters and why ask me for help?"

Because this was just the kind of thing Jerry knew would peek Luke's interest, and that would allow him to get Luke out of Port Charles, and that was the point. "I owe my brother. He nearly lost everything because of the trouble our Dad and I caused. And, because your sister is a good woman who needs someone who can take care of things, and who knows one of those sisters might look rather pretty on her finger."

Something didn't feel right about this, but Luke had to admit the idea of finding these allusive jewels was temping. Lord knew he and his family could use the money. "I'll think about it."

"Don't think to long, mate." Jerry said as he put everything back in his pocket. "This lead won't stay hot for long."


	23. Chapter 23

Alexis was sitting at the table trying to work on some legal paperwork for the Metro Court but her attention kept drifted over to the sitting area where Sam and Jax, who had Krissy in his arms, were sitting around the coffee table playing mahjong. It was just an ordinary scene, one she'd seen repeatedly over the years, Jax loved playing games with Sam. But it still struck her sometimes as something so strange and wonderful, the sight of her family together, happy and laughing. Sometimes it still felt like a dream that she expected to wake up from. She wasn't use to dreams coming true, so she woke up every morning and went to bed every night grateful that this one had. Alexis smiled and turned her attention back to her work until another clatter of ivory tile on her glass topped coffee table drew her attention back to her 'husband' and children. She laughed at the sight. There was nothing calm about the way Jax and Sam played games, the only things more aggressively played than mahjong were dominos and monopoly.

"Jax, do not let Krissy put that tile in her mouth." Alexis scolded. She grinned as Jax easily slipped the tile from the baby's hand, only to get a disgusted look from Krissy for taking it.

Once the game was over Alexis took Krissy so she could give her a bath and put her to bed. When she came back out to the living room with the baby monitor in hand she said, "Sammie, half an hour then it's time to start getting ready for bed." She looked around the room, noticing that Sam was alone. "Where's Dad?"

"He got a call and went out onto the deck." Sam answered, her gaze never once leaving the television screen.

Alexis stopped to drop a kiss on top of her daughter's head before stepping out onto the deck to find Jax standing there gripping the railing so tightly his knuckles were white. His shoulders were hunched, his head bowed. Walking over to him she put her hand on his back. "Jax?"

It took a moment. She had to repeat his name. Finally he lifted his head to look at her. "There's been an accident." He told her. "The plane Jerry and Luke were on. It went down."

Alexis gasped, her hand flying to her mouth for an instant before she dropped it. "Are they, are they alright?"

"They don't know." Jax answered honestly.

Luke was her friend and the sudden thought that something might have happened to him stuck her like a blow. "What happened?"

"There was a distress call, three days ago." Jax said. "It was picked up by an airfield in Yemen. They think the plane went down somewhere along the coast of the Arabian Sea."

"Oh Jax." Alexis said softly as she moved closer to him, offering him comfort.

Jax was quiet for a several long moments before saying; "I have to go look for him, for them."

Alexis hated it. She didn't want Jax to fly off yet again to rescue his brother. She wanted him home with her and their girls, but one of the reasons they worked so well was because they didn't try to change the things that made them who they were. Plus, this wasn't just about Jerry. Luke was lost, and he had family waiting on him to come home. "Please be careful."

He gave her a weak smile and nodded. "I will." Drawing her close Jax kissed her and then just held her in his arms for a long time. He put Sam to bed that night, spent some time with Krissy, made love to Alexis, and was gone by the time she woke up the next morning. As she explained to a sleepy Sam that her Dad had to go on a sudden business trip Alexis wondered if this is how it would always be? She loved that Jax was so loyal to those he cared about, but would he always put his own life on hold to run off to play the shinning knight? Leaning back against the counter with her hands wrapped around a coffee mug she let her mind drift from Jax to the two men he went out to look for. Her unlikely friendship with Luke meant a great deal to her. He had given her the first real information on her mother outside of her fuzzy resurfacing memories. He'd give her a photograph of her mother, and the cassette with her mother singing on it. He'd given her someone to talk to when no one else knew the truth but the two of them. True, he had been a pompous ass at the time and was always trying to use and manipulate things so she'd help him take down Stefan, but at some point along the way they'd become true friends, and the thought that he might be gone, it hurt, it hurt a lot.

And than there was Jerry. Her first interaction with him had been trying to get him and John Jacks out of jail because of Jax, because he'd asked her too. She'd managed to do it but it had cost Jax everything, his company, his reputation. Jerry's actions had hurt Jax and that had put a black mark on the man as far as Alexis was concerned. Then he showed up in Port Charles, stirring up trouble not only for Jax but the Quartermains. He wasn't a man to be trusted and yet there had been something instant between them, something almost but not quite familiar, when they'd finally met in person at the PC Grill. He had been charming and suave, and Alexis had spent the whole time rolling her eyes at him. If he had been anyone else she would have written him off after that first meeting, but she hadn't, for Jax's sake she did want she could to keep him out of trouble legally until he up and disappeared. Seeing him with Jax and Luke at the estate had been the first time she'd laid eyes on Jerry Jax in years. If something bad has happened, if Jerry was dead, Jax would be crushed and that would hurt Alexis. So she was hoping, maybe even doing a little prayer that both Luke and Jerry were all right.

Jax was gone for weeks, and when he returned it wasn't with good news. They had found charred pieces of Jerry's plane alone the southeast coast of Africa, but Jax continued to hold out hope. The plane broke apart but Jerry was a skilled pilot, he could have landed somewhere. That hope slipped away when they founded the burned out cockpit with the remains of two men. He looked a little longer even after that but in the end he brought the bodies back to Port Charles. He stood with Alexis, Laura, Bobbie, and Carly as they waited on the medical examiner's findings. It was Alan Quartermain who came to them, "I'm sorry." He said softly. "I'm so very sorry."

Carly went to her mother, wrapping her arms around her, startled to find Bobbie's body trembling. Carly was feeling the loss of her uncle deep in her heart, she could only imagine that her grief was a fraction of what her mother was feeling, what Laura was feeling.

Bobbie was in shock, she was numb, there was no way her brother was dead. Luke Spencer was unstoppable, he was strong and smart, nothing stuck to him, he was one lucky SOB, and if it came down to him and the devil her money would have been on Luke. But the tests, the medical tests she had put her faith in all these years as a nurse, said differently. The dental records said her brother had been just a man, a simple mortal man, who died in a fiery plane crash while on one of his stupid adventures. She couldn't believe it, she wouldn't, Luke wouldn't leave Laura or their children behind, and he wouldn't leave her behind.

Slowly the reality began to settle in. Laura and Bobbie held out as long as they could but Laura realized she needed to help her children deal with the truth, their father wasn't coming home to them this time. So a memorial service was held, just about the whole town showed up and shared stories, and the people closest to him began dealing with the fact that Luke's larger than life presence in their lives was gone. Their lives would have to go on without him.

He stood in front of the mirror looking at his new face. After weeks of recovery the doctors had finally removed his bandages to reveal a total stranger. It was a little jarring but Jerry had to admit, he liked it. If he were honest with himself this face made him look more like a Jacks, with his light hair, and blue eyes. His own mother wouldn't know him if she passed him on the street, but for once he actually looked like his mother's son. He continued to admire himself until he heard the door to this room open. He smiled as he turned to face the man who'd joined him. "So what do you think?"

Mikkos looked the man over and nodded his approval. "Even the voice is different."

"Yes, impressive isn't it?" Jerry said as he walked over to sit on the sofa. For the last several months he'd been kept secluded in this private hospital in Copenhagen under going extensive plastic surgery to completely erase Jerry Jacks.

"Worth the money, clearly." Mikkos said.

Jerry smiled a bright new smile. "Glad you think so since it was all your money."

"There is one final step." Mikkos said as he took a seat in a chair close to where Jerry was sitting. "Since Jerry Jacks died along with Luke Spencer in that crash you'll need a new identity. Do you have a preference?"

"I do." Jerry replied as his smile brightened. "I've always had a sweet spot for the name James."

Mikkos lunged forward, slamming his hand on the coffee table. "You would not dare!"

"Relax old man." Jerry replied as he sat back with a relaxed ease about him, a show that Mikkos didn't frighten him. "James Brosnan died years go, and it's best that way."

"Glad we agree." Mikkos replied as he continued to glare at the man.

Jerry couldn't help but laugh. "You hate me, don't you?"

"I loath you." Mikkos replied. "With good reason."

Jerry stared at the man before saying, "Because of Alexandra." He sighed, his mind flickering to old memories.

"You ruined her." Mikkos spat.

"I loved her." Jerry argued. He paused before adding, "As much as any twenty year old boy can love a girl. I loved her."

"You lied to her." Mikkos reminded him. "She had no idea who you true were."

"So did you." Jerry said angrily. "You lied to me as well. You told me she went back to Greece because she couldn't face what we had done, the shame of it. I never knew!" Now it was Jerry slamming the table. "You hid it from me!"

"And if you had known?" Mikkos asked as he looked into the man's new eyes. "What would you have done? Married her? Made things right for her and the child?"

"I would have taken them home." Jerry said honestly. "I would have taken them to my mother where they would have been loved, looked after, and together. My daughter would have been raised by her mother, knowing her mother's love, and never would have suffered. But you wouldn't let that happen, you had to control everything about her life, you forced me to walk away!"

"And here I am pulling your strings yet again." Mikkos said.

"For now." Jerry replied. He stared the man down, showing him that he wasn't the same boy he'd been so many years ago. "So, James Craig at your service Mr. Cassadine."

Alexis looked up as Jax and Sam made their way towards the door. She smirked as she pulled her glasses off, tangling her fingers in them as she folded the arms down. "Where are you two off to?"

They stopped; Sam smiled as she peeked around her dad to look at her mom. "Father Daughter Time."

"Oh?" Alexis asked as she leaned forward a bit so she could see Sam better.

Jax nodded, a dashing smile on his lips. "Yeap, Father Daughter Time."

"And what will this Father Daughter Time consist of?" Alexis asked. She knew when these two were up to something, she could just tell, and right now they were all but screaming it.

"Just, ya know, stuff." Sam answered.

"Yeah, stuff." Jax echoed. He gave Alexis a reassuring look that told her it would be fine. He wasn't going to take Sam off on some great grand adventure that would get either of them hurt.

Alexis looked at the two, the goofy grins and puppy dog looks and laughed. "Oh alright, have fun, and stay out of trouble!"

Sam ran over and hugged her mom before dashing for the door. "Come on Dad! Quick! Before she changes her mind!"

Jax laughed before giving Alexis a kiss and then running out the door after his daughter.

There was a happy, content smile on Alexis' face. She'd done a lot for Sam since getting her daughter back, but one of the best things she'd done for her girl was to give her Jax as a father. She couldn't have asked for a better man to fulfill that role. Though she thought of Sam's biological father, she had loved him and he had given her the gift of their beautiful daughter, she couldn't picture him as anything but the charming young man she'd met in a bookstore and spent a wonderful summer with. When Sam first came back into her life Alexis had discreetly looked into what happened to him only find out he'd been killed a few years after their romance. So in her mind James would always be that charming young man who'd spotted her with copy of the collected works of Aleksandr Pushkin and recited a poem in god awful Russian to get her attention. Alexis smiled at the memories but then shook them off. She felt bad that James would never know his daughter, and even over the fact that Sam would never know him, but as far as she was concerned Sam had the only father she could or would ever need. Jax was a wonderful father to both of her daughters, and she had no doubts that he always would be.

The End


End file.
